By james art
PHOENIX – Phoenix police are still investigating how a a toddler took a gun and shot himself on October 19th – it’s a situation the Gilbert family knows all too well.
The toddler shot himself in south Phoenix, and another boy has been charged in the shooting. This is one of the many random shootings that happen every year in Arizona.
Deaths from gunshot injuries are the second leading cause of death for children in this state. The the latest data from the Arizona Department of Health show that 59 children died this way in 2022.
Christian Petillo’s parents want him to be more than a statistic and are pushing for laws they say will better protect all children.
“Crichton was a huge energy,” said his mother, Claire Petillo.
She and Christian’s father, Bruce Petillo, light up when talking about their son and what makes him so special.
“His laugh, his smile, his giggles were huge,” Claire said. “Infectious laughter.”
Bruce says, “Christian was a very sensitive soul and a very caring soul.”
Christian was just 15 years old when he went to a friend’s house in September 2021 for a sleepover. Sometime in the night, he was accidentally shot in the chest by another teenager.
“They took him into emergency surgery, but at this point they were preparing us for the worst. I remember going into the chapel and praying to God not to take him and, unfortunately, that didn’t happen,” Bruce said.
Not long after Christian Petillo’s death, they turned their grief into action.
Bruce, Christian and Claire Petillo
They began advocating for stricter gun laws, spending the past few years pushing for Arizona’s Christian’s Law.
The bill requires gun owners to secure their firearms and keep them out of the hands of children.
Arizona State Rep. Nancy Gutierrez, the latest author of the bill, says it’s meant to protect families, not take away rights.
“Gun safes are expensive. Weapon locks are not. So it’s such a simple thing and it’s proven to prevent accidental gunshot deaths. I don’t know how that would infringe on anyone’s right to bear arms,” Congressman Gutierrez said.
The Petillos say shootings like the last one involving the three-year-old boy are preventable.
“Every time I hear a story like this, my heart goes out to the parents. Mainly to the mother because just knowing that your child is hurt is so frustrating,” said Claire.
“We know that Christian’s death could have been prevented. We know that the toddler who was shot a week and a half ago, his injury was preventable. We know this will continue to happen again and again and again unless something is done,” Bruce said.
The Petillos said the final version of Christian’s Law will be introduced in the January legislative session, but they will head to Washington in December to advocate for a national gun safety bill.
In last week’s case involving the toddler, police have yet to say how the accused child got hold of the gun. FOX 10 asked Phoenix police repeatedly if they found out who owned the gun and how it ended up in the hands of a young child, and still have not heard back.