Gun Violence in the US

[Guybrush]

The biggest Norwegian newspaper is running an article (translated by google here with some errors) on a child victim of a shooting in the US. One of the claims up top is that firearms is now the leading cause of injury related deaths amongst children in the US.

I thought surely this cannot be. What about traffic accidents or drownings? So I just wanted to see if I could find another source and quickly came across this:

https://www.kff.org/mental-health/issue-brief/child-and-teen-firearm-mortality-in-the-u-s-and-peer-countries/

I don't actually know kff.org from before, but quickly checking their About page makes them seem reasonably reliable.

The first two paragraphs:

In 2020 and 2021, firearms contributed to the deaths of more children ages 1-17 years in the U.S. than any other type of injury or illness. The child firearm mortality rate has doubled in the U.S. from a recent low of 1.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2013 to 3.7 in 2021.

The United States has by far the highest rate of child and teen firearm mortality among peer nations. In no other similarly large, wealthy country are firearms in the top four causes of death for children and teens, let alone the number one cause. U.S. states with the most gun laws have lower rates of child and teen firearm deaths than states with few gun laws. But, even states with the lowest child and teen firearm deaths have rates much higher than what peer countries experience.

Also:

On a per capita basis, the firearm death rate among children and teens (ages 1-19) in the U.S. is over 9.5 times the firearm death rate of Canadian children and teens (ages 1-19). Canada is the country with the second-highest child and teen firearm death rate among similarly large and wealthy nations.

I believe most of our community is situated in the US. Those of you who are, has gun violence touched your life in any way?

[Psy-Fi]

Shootings can happen anywhere in the U.S. but a lot of it depends on where you live and your financial situation. Poor areas, especially in the inner-city areas of major cities, tend to have much more of them. I've lived in the U.S. for most of my life and I've lived in Massachusetts and Maine in areas that would be considered "working class," "middle class," and "upper-middle class," and the only incident that has touched my life (so far) was a friend committing suicide with a firearm. I also know a friend who lost a friend to domestic violence when she was shot and killed by her ex.

These sites have some more statistics which get into race and ethnicity as well as breakdowns of murder, suicide, accidents, and legal intervention....

Notes from the Field: Firearm Homicide Rates, by Race and Ethnicity — United States, 2019–2022

Guns and Race: The Different Worlds of Black and White Americans 

[Psy-Fi]

Here's another link to some more info on gun violence statistics in the U.S. that I found a few months ago when I was looking for some info on the subject...


Guns in America: 16 Charts You Need to See

[Jwb]

The biggest Norwegian newspaper is running an article (translated by google here with some errors) on a child victim of a shooting in the US. One of the claims up top is that firearms is now the leading cause of injury related deaths amongst children in the US.

I thought surely this cannot be. What about traffic accidents or drownings? So I just wanted to see if I could find another source and quickly came across this:

https://www.kff.org/mental-health/issue-brief/child-and-teen-firearm-mortality-in-the-u-s-and-peer-countries/

I don't actually know kff.org from before, but quickly checking their About page makes them seem reasonably reliable.

The first two paragraphs:

Also:

I believe most of our community is situated in the US. Those of you who are, has gun violence touched your life in any way?

only on the margins.  Nobody o really care about has been killed  via gun.

I did go to a middle school where a teacher was shot and killed.  It was a random murder,  not a mass shooting,  but it was a big headline at the time due to the age of the kid.  His name was Nathaniel Brazil,  he was like 12 or 13 at the time.  7th grade.  I wasn't there.  It happened on the last day of school the year prior to me moving back down to Florida.  But I knew a number of people who knew him.  Think he's still in prison but should be out soon.

[Psy-Fi]

Crumbley convictions set a legal precedent for parents that could reach beyond shootings

[Psy-Fi]

Ethan Crumbley: Parents of Michigan school gunman sentenced to at least 10 years

[DJChameleon]

I'm friends with people that have lost their kids to gun violence or friends that they know.

One mother that lost her son to gun violence that I'm friends with created an organization that mentors kids in an after school program and gives them other activities to take part in instead of being persuaded to join a gang.

This past Sunday I was a part of setting up a community event for the kids/teens that discusses all different types of violence from domestic to gun to gang violence. There was food, music and different speakers at the event. We also touched on mental health because that's also the root cause of violence in urban areas.

[Psy-Fi]

One mother that lost her son to gun violence that I'm friends with created an organization that mentors kids in an after school program and gives them other activities to take part in instead of being persuaded to join a gang.

This past Sunday I was a part of setting up a community event for the kids/teens that discusses all different types of violence from domestic to gun to gang violence. There was food, music and different speakers at the event. We also touched on mental health because that's also the root cause of violence in urban areas.

Kudos to both of you.

[Janszoon]

Last night, a guy was shot and killed at a gas station a few blocks from my house. He got into an argument, pulled a gun, and got shot by a security guard, so it's a FAFO type situation, but it's still fucked up that these things happen.