The United States is a world leader among developed countries in the number of civilian citizens who are killed or injured by guns each year. Every day an average of 32 Americans are killed by guns and more than 65 survive the physical and psychic damage of gunshot wounds.

As a pediatrician, I have become increasingly concerned about the burden of gun trauma experienced by our youth. It’s hard not to be affected by coming face to face with young gunshot victims. I’ll never forget trying unsuccessfully to revive a three year-old who shot herself in the chest with a pistol she found hidden in her home.

One day a 9-year-old patient came to see me following a recent hospitalization. He was recovering from having been wounded by a bullet that miraculously lodged in his skull, right between his eyes. I was stunned. He was wounded, near fatally, while casually socializing in his neighborhood, unwittingly in the wrong place at the wrong time.

In an effort to gain some additional understanding of why there is so much gun violence in our advanced American culture, I’ve begun photographing victims of shootings in and around Durham. Perhaps I will be able to help work towards solutions to the vexing problem of gun violence in America.  – John Moses

In addition to a busy clinical practice, Dr. Moses teaches documentary at the Center for Documentary Studies and helps direct Duke’s Documenting Medicine program. More images from this series are on exhibit at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University through 2013.