Hundreds of children, teens have been victims of gun violence this year

(NEW YORK) — Fatal shooting deaths among children and teens continue to climb this year amid a series of recent gun violence incidents involving youths.

So far this year, 229 children under the age of 11 and 1,082 teenagers have been killed by gun violence, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The tally of injured includes 515 children and 3,025 teens.

A 3-year-old boy was shot and killed while in the car with his mother and brother in Cleveland, Ohio, authorities said.

An adult man who was not in the car was also shot in the Thursday afternoon incident and he suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Cleveland police said.

Several persons of interest have been detained, police said Friday. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

Three teens who were killed in a Sept. 24 shooting in Columbia, South Carolina, have been identified as 16-year-old Jakobe Fanning, 17-year-old Dre’Von Riley and 16-year-old Caleb Wise, the sheriff’s office said.

Two 17-year-old boys and a 14-year-old boy have been arrested for three counts of murder, attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and possession of handgun under the age of 18, according to local officials.

A 2-year-old girl was killed in a drive-by shooting in Dallas, Texas, on Sept. 24 alongside an older woman who is not related to the child, according to ABC affiliate WFAA. Both the toddler and the woman were taken to the hospital, where the toddler was pronounced dead.

“My grandbaby ain’t your target. So why does she have to die? Like, why would you shoot a 2-year-old,” Zyah’s maternal step-grandmother, Deborah Harper Smith, told the local news outlet.

Five victims were transported to local hospitals for their injuries following a mass shooting on Sept. 23, according to a press release from police in Chesapeake, Virginia.

A 14-year-old is dead after succumbing to his injuries from the shooting. Four others were also injured, according to police. The other victims were identified as two male juveniles and two adult males.

ABC News’ Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.

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