Here’s the impact of the absence of gun reforms on the mortality rate in the US in recent years.
In recent years, the United States has witnessed a sharp upsurge in gun violence, a distressingly recurring trend that has resulted in a staggering surge in fatalities and injuries across the nation.
The firearm stands as the primary instrument of lethality in such instances of violence. This underscores the imperative need for a more rigorous gun control policy, one that effectively prevents firearm ownership by those who shouldn’t possess them in the first place.
Implementing such measures holds the potential to foster safer neighborhoods and instill a sense of reassurance in parents as they send their children to school without the gnawing fear for their safety.
An updated analysis of data sourced from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveils an alarming pinnacle in 2021, wherein the lives of 4,752 children fell victim to gun-related incidents, shattering the previous record set during the pandemic’s onset.
According to experts, this concerning statistic amplifies the mounting evidence that the epidemic of gun violence in the US has exacerbated.
Of those felled by firearms, males aged 19 and below constituted more than 80%. Among them, black male children faced a heightened risk of homicide, while white males in the same age bracket were more prone to firearm-related suicide.
Dr. Chethan Sathya, a lead author of a study published in the journal Pediatrics and a pediatric trauma surgeon at Northwell Health in New York, commented, “This is unquestionably one of the most significant public health crises in our country. It’s unsettling that the most probable cause of death for a child in our nation is a firearm-related incident. This is unacceptable.”
Regrettably, eclipsing traffic accidents, drug overdoses, cancer, and gun-related injuries have ascended as the leading cause of death among children and adolescents for the second consecutive year.
Sathya expresses concern that this unsettling trend shows no signs of abating.
While unintentional shootings have tragically claimed the lives of numerous children, homicides comprised nearly two-thirds of the deaths in 2021. Regardless of the age of the victims, pediatric gun-related fatalities have cast a grim shadow over nearly every corner of the United States.
In a recent incident in Florida, a 3-year-old child tragically shot himself in the head with a handgun. Similarly, in California, a 3-year-old boy accidentally shot and fatally wounded his 1-year-old sister using a handgun. Another heartbreaking incident occurred in Michigan, where a 2-year-old lost their life after coming across an “unsecured” firearm.
A few weeks ago in Florida, a 6-year-old was fatally shot by a 9-year-old.
Tragically, the toll of gun violence extends further. Just today, in Jacksonville, Florida, three individuals of black ethnicity also fell victim to gun violence.
Firearm-related violence and communities of color
The impact is even more pronounced for black children, as the analysis reveals a nearly 42% surge in the number of children killed by firearms between 2018 and 2021.
In 2021 alone, over 4,700 child fatalities were attributed to firearms, marking an uptick of nearly 9% from the previous year.
After a significant rise in child fatalities from gunshot wounds in 2020, attributed to pandemic-related lockdowns and children being confined indoors, experts anticipated a decline in such incidents in 2021. However, these expectations were not met.
“This caught many of us off guard,” Sathya noted, suggesting that the nation might have reached a “disturbing new baseline” where child gun deaths continue to rise.
The analysis outlines that among the 2021 fatalities, 64.3% were homicides, 29.9% were suicides, and 3.5% were unintentional injuries.
Communities of color have borne a disproportionately heavy burden of gun-related child homicides.
As of 2018, gun-related homicides involving black children surpassed those in 2020 by 67.3%. Moreover, 78.4% of child suicides involving firearms were committed by white children.
Shockingly, Black children accounted for 50% of all gun-related deaths among children.
Nirmita Panchal, a senior policy analyst at the Kaiser Family Foundation (formerly known as the Kaiser Foundation for Family Research), highlights that the disparities between Black and White children echo findings from earlier studies.
“Communities of color have experienced a stark surge in these fatalities compared to their white counterparts,” she affirmed.
The Intersection of Firearm Violence and Mental Health
Moreover, Nirmita continued, young individuals grappling with gun-related injuries could confront added challenges beyond the physical trauma, as they are at an increased risk of developing substance use disorders and grappling with mental health issues.
On a geographical scale, the southern states—like Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina—along with Montana, carried a heavier burden of child gun-related fatalities, although the analysis is detecting rising rates in the Midwest.
In 2021, the majority (82.6%) of gun-related fatalities were perpetrated by older adolescents aged 15 to 19. Locations with higher poverty rates experience a higher incidence of gun-related deaths.
“Structural inequities, systemic racism, social determinants of health, and even food insecurity are foundational drivers of violence, including gun violence,” emphasized Sathya.
Dr. Emily Lieberman, a pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Hospital, survived the Highland Park Shooting in Chicago alongside her husband and two children last year.
Reflecting on the experience, she expressed, “I wasn’t a hero on that day. I didn’t save or help anyone beyond my family. But when I emerged alive, I knew I had been forever changed.”
The most recent data on pediatric gun deaths, according to Lieberman, aligned with her unfortunate expectations. However, she anticipates that the death toll will rise in the upcoming year due to the absence of significant gun-related legislation from lawmakers.
“We witness children succumbing to gun violence day after day,” she lamented. “It’s impacting everyone, everywhere, and the situation is deteriorating.”
Panchal highlighted that lawmakers have directed their attention toward improving school-based mental health services and providing trauma treatment for children.
Sathya emphasized his advocacy for more comprehensive background checks and secure firearm storage. Furthermore, he stressed the need for deeper exploration into the root causes of gun violence.
“While it might be perceived as an issue that doesn’t touch everyone, the reality is quite different,” he stated. “If you examine the surges in gun-related injuries, you’ll see it’s affecting all communities. Geography doesn’t make a difference.”
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