On Saturday 23rd November 2013, ten children were shot dead in the US. The youngest was nine, the oldest was nineteen. They fell in suburbs, hamlets and ghettos. None made the national news. It was just another day in the death of America, where on average seven children and teens are killed by guns daily.

Gary Younge picked 23rd November at random, and set out to tell the stories of the lives lost during that single day.

Eleven year old Tyler Dunn spent the day with his friend Brandon [not his real name]. Just before 8.30pm, Brandon walked out of the house with his hands up, wearing red shorts with no shirt or socks, the police telling him to keep his hands where they could see them. He had just called 911 and told them he had shot Tyler.

Who should bear responsibility for the killing? Brandon's father couldn't say for sure how many guns were in the house, or whether any of them were loaded. If Michigan had laws to prevent child-access to guns, would Tyler still be alive?

Abridged by Jo Coombs
Produced by Hannah Marshall
A Loftus production for BBC Radio 4. Show less