69 young people have been shot in Allegheny Co. this year

PITTSBURGH — Nearly 70 young people under the age of 20 have been shot in Allegheny County this year.

Doctors at Children’s Hospital told Channel 11 that:

"In the last year, we have seen an increase in the number of children, adolescents, and teens suffering from gunshot wounds who have been transported to our Emergency Department."

Channel 11 looked through the most recent data kept by the Allegheny County Health Department and found that this year, 69 people age 20 and younger have been to the emergency room for a gunshot wound.

In 2017, that number was 106.

Many of those young people survive. At least 24 of them have died in the last two years.

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Doctors at Children's Hospital often encounter what's called a "drop and drive" where young gunshot victim drive themselves to the ER or have someone drop them off.

That was the case Wednesday night with one of teenage victims who was shot in Pittsburgh's Elliott neighborhood.

A spokesperson for Children's Hospital told Channel 11:

"We have a number of significant security measures already in place to ensure safety of these patients and all of our patients, families, employees, and visitors."

Cox Media Group