"Black boys and men not only are the most likely victims of gun violence but also are exposed to gun violence most often. Despite the fact that Black boys and men account for just 6% of the total population, they comprise more than half of all gun homicide victims. In the nation’s 20 largest counties, Black men ages 15 to 24 die from gun homicides at a rate nearly 22 times that of white residents. This disparity means that while five out of every 100,000 young white men in these counties die from gun homicides, nearly eleven in every 10,000 young Black men are killed in such incidents. From 2019 to 2023, gun suicide rates increased just 9% for white people, but 45% for Black people. Gun suicide increases and the racial disparities in these increases are particularly pronounced for Black youth. From 2019 to 2023, the firearm suicide rate for Black people ages 10 to 24 rose 37%. Black communities have disproportionately shouldered our nation’s gun violence epidemic for decades, and will continue to do so unless we take concerted, community-driven steps to address this public health crisis."
- Alex Nguyen & Kelly Drane
