The Child Shooters of America: Kids 'n' Guns to air on Channel 4

12 June 2014

 

Channel 4 has commissioned a documentary from Minnow Films which explores the shocking phenomenon of the child shooters of America and the families for whom the right to teach their kids to shoot is a central, emotive and powerful issue.

In a country where 34% of households have guns and with an estimated 262-310 million firearms in circulation, they are projected to become the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 – 24 in 2015.

In 2010 362 children aged 14 and under were killed by firearms. Experts believe the true figure is close to double this as many US states do not consider death certificate data a matter of public record.

Kids 'n' Guns will shed light on the world of child shooters, illuminating the fascinating beliefs, ambitions, and paranoia that underpin it.

For 9-year-old Hank shooting was a way of life for his family. Although Hank was only 9 he had already shot 14 deer and hundreds of squirrels to eat.   After saving his money, his mother brought him his own youth rifle – a gun specifically designed for children. In February 2014 whilst staying at the family deer camp, he went out alone to shoot and never returned. Following a huge police and helicopter search, and with the help of the local community, Hank’s body was discovered 200 yards from the camp. Kelli and Brad believe that the gun was faulty and that the safety feature did not work as it fired accidentally when it hit the ground after Hank tripped. The programme tells their compelling story in the aftermath of their son’s death. Surprisingly, their son’s accident has not compelled them to call for stricter gun control, simply better safety checks. As Kelli comments: “Hank wouldn’t want kids to stop hunting.”

JD lost the use of both legs and an arm when he stepped on an I.U.D while serving in Afghanistan. Returning home to Kentucky, he was keen to reconnect with his daughter through hunting so bought her a rifle for her fourth birthday. The film follows their experiences as he tries to get Kaylin to use her huge .44 calibre Magnum at home despite her protestations.   The film follows JD and Kaylin as he tries to get her to bond with him through his love of hunting and shooting, not necessarily always getting the results he wants.

Spyder moved to Texas from New York following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While he had never owned a gun before, he became paranoid about the Taliban driving up the interstate and amassed an arsenal of weapons claiming: “There's a saying here in Texas, if you know how many guns you have, you don't have enough.” Under his tutelage, his 9-year-old daughter Gia has begun to shoot competitively, using weapons that have been bought or made especially for her. He is a demanding teacher and makes no apologies for it, pushing Gia to the point of tears if she does not perform as well as expected: “You're gonna cry in life. Get used to it, just cry for the right things.”

“The American relationship with firearms has triggered some significant political battles for the country,” commented Anna Miralis, Commissioning Editor for Documentaries for Channel 4. “Now that they are being put in the hands of children, the issue becomes even more complex. This unique documentary presents the compelling stories behind the horrifying statistics.”

Commissioned by Anna Miralis, Kids 'n' Guns will be produced by Minnow Films, executive produced by Morgan Matthews and Ruth Kelly and directed by Francine Shaw.  The film will air on Channel 4 this summer.