Source: Pacific Press / Getty
The Associated Press released a pair of reports Sunday highlighting the impact of gun violence on youth across the country. Finding that gun violence is increasingly responsible for taking the lives of children and youth, one report noted 2021 was on pace to exceed last year with 1,179 youth dead and 3,292 injured.
In a second article Sunday, the Associated Press told the story of three children, ages 4-18, all victims of gun violence. Each story is heartbreaking with no easy answer or solution to bring comfort to the victims’ families. (Read more about all three children here).
The outlet cited expert statements finding the combination of idleness due to the pandemic and easy access to guns can lead to deadly incidents. According to the Children’s Defense Fund, the pandemic has exacerbated the gun crisis.
“Unprecedented increases in gun sales—coupled with financial insecurity, social isolation, and other stressors—are magnifying America’s gun violence crisis,” found the Children’s Defense Fund.
Data compiled by the Children’s Defense Fund showed that Black children and teens were 43 percent of gun deaths in 2019 but only 14 percent of all children and teens.
Violence prevention is tricky, with some leaders focusing more on zero-tolerance policies and criminalizing young people. Other strategies suggest a more holistic approach.
The Brennan Center highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of gun violence instead of simply relying on the same systems that disproportionately punish communities of color. Part of these strategies includes mitigating financial stress and engaging youth.
“To adequately support community violence intervention, Congress must pass the American Jobs Plan which allocates $5 billion over eight years to community violence prevention programs and billions more to improving schools, expanding access to higher education, making homeownership more affordable, providing job training to young people, and promoting equitable infrastructure development,” read the Brennan Center report.
Earlier this month, gun violence prevention advocate Gabby Giffords penned an op-ed describing the disproportionate impact on communities of color. She also echoed the need for adequately funded violence prevention programs, citing President Joe Biden’s proposed $5 billion investment in community violence prevention programs.
“The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the consequences of our nation’s longstanding failure to pass policies to keep children safe where they live and learn,” continued the Children’s Defense Fund report. “Our leaders must not only advance meaningful solutions to address the COVID-19 crisis but also the ongoing gun violence crisis in America. We cannot allow children to die at the hands of these crises.”
See Also:
DOJ Says Jacob Blake Being Shot In The Back 7 Times On Video Isn’t Proof Of Excessive Force
Philando Castile’s Mother Approves Of DA’s Push To End Prosecution of Certain Traffic Stops
Rest In Power: Notable Black Folks Who We’ve Lost In 2021
77 photos Launch gallery
1. Anthony “A.J.” Johnson, comedian and actor, 56
Source:Instagram.com/therealajjohnson
1 of 77
2. Michael K. Williams, actor, 54
Source:Getty
2 of 77
3. Carl Bean, gay preacher, 77
?More sad news fam…HIV/AIDS activist Archbishop Carl Bean, the founder of Minority AIDS Project and Unity Fellowship Church–often nicknamed the Black gay church for being the country’s 1st Black church affirming of the #LGBTQ community has transitioned and is now an ancestor. pic.twitter.com/r5bOBhyPtj
— Jasmyne Cannick (@Jasmyne) September 7, 2021
3 of 77
4. Jacob Desvarieux, guitarist, 65
Source:Getty
4 of 77
5. Fuquan Johnson, comedian, 42
Source:Getty
5 of 77
6. Greg Leaks, tv personality, 66
Source:Getty
6 of 77
7. Hissène Habré, former president of Chad, 79
Source:Getty
7 of 77
8. Chucky Thompson, music producer, 53
Source:Getty
8 of 77
9. Steve “Zumbi” Gaines, rapper, 49
Source:Getty
9 of 77
10. Cameron Burrell, track star and Carl Lewis’ godson, 26
Source:Getty
10 of 77
11. Paul Johnson, house music DJ, 50
11 of 77
12. Bob Moses, civil rights leader, 86
Source:Getty
12 of 77
13. Rachael Oniga, Nollywood actress, 64
Nigeria has lost an absolute veteran & iconic actress – RIP Rachel Oniga ??? pic.twitter.com/zD3VhRQpyK
— ✨? DaddyMO?✨ (@therealdaddymo1) July 31, 2021
13 of 77
14. Glen Ford, veteran journalist and Black Agenda Report founder, 71
Source:LinkedIn
14 of 77
15. Gloria Richardson, civil rights pioneer, 99
Source:Getty
15 of 77
16. Biz Markie, hip-hop legend, 57
Source:Getty
16 of 77
17. Charlie Robinson, actor, 75
Source:Getty
17 of 77
18. Matima “Swavy” Miller, social media star, 19
Source:GoFundMe
18 of 77
19. Suzzanne Douglas, actress, 64
Source:Getty
19 of 77
20. Abdalelah Haroun, track and field star, 24
Source:Getty
20 of 77
21. Consuewella Dotson Africa, MOVE leader, 67
Heartbroken to learn that Consuewella Africa passed away today. She was arrested on Aug 8, 1978 w/ the MOVE 9 + spent 16 yrs in prison. May 13th, 1985, her daughters Netta and Tree were murdered. 2 mos ago, we learned Penn Museum held hostage Tree’s remains. And now she is gone pic.twitter.com/nZSW7Yu2yE
— Krystal Strong (@misskstrong) June 16, 2021
21 of 77
22. Martha White, civil rights activist, 99
Source:Twitter
22 of 77
24. Clarence Williams III, actor, 81
Source:Getty
24 of 77
25. Samuel Wright, actor, 74
Source:Getty
25 of 77
26. Chi Modu, photographer, 54
Source:Getty
26 of 77
27. Paul Mooney, comedian, writer, 79
Source:Getty
27 of 77
28. Lee Evans, Olympic champion, 74
Source:Getty
28 of 77
29. Frank McRae, actor and former NFL player, 80
Source:Getty
29 of 77
30. Eugene Webb, NYC real estate broker, 102
Source:Getty
30 of 77
31. Pervis Staples, singer, 85
Source:Getty
31 of 77
32. Curtis Fuller, legendary jazz trombonist, 88
Source:Getty
32 of 77
33. Henrietta Turnquest, pioneering Black woman politician, 73
MARTA is saddened by the passing of Henrietta Turnquest, who was appointed to the MARTA Board in 2003, the first African American woman to be appointed and serve on the MARTA Board of Directors. https://t.co/nTGaNeRfIk pic.twitter.com/CFdMRiFT9h
— MARTA (@MARTAservice) May 4, 2021
33 of 77
34. Shock G, rapper-producer, 57
Source:Getty
34 of 77
35. Antron Pippen, 33
35 of 77
36. Black Rob, rapper, 51
Source:Getty
36 of 77
37. Gerren Taylor, model, 30
Source:WENN
37 of 77
38. DMX, rapper, actor, 50
Source:Getty
38 of 77
39. Midwin Charles, attorney, 47
Source:Getty
39 of 77
40. Alcee Hastings, congressman, 84
Source:Getty
40 of 77
41. Alvin Sykes, civil rights activist, 64
Source:Kansas City Public Library
41 of 77
42. Sarah Obama, paternal step-grandmother of Barack Obama, 99
Source:Getty
42 of 77
43. Craig “muMs” Grant, poet-actor
Source:Getty
43 of 77
44. Elgin Baylor, NBA legend, 86
Source:Getty
44 of 77
45. Yaphet Kotto, actor, 81
45 of 77
46. Reggie Warren, singer, 52
Source:Getty
46 of 77
47. Jo Thompson, muscian-singer, 92
Jo Thompson broke racial barriers during the decades she played the piano and sang to audiences from Detroit’s top supper clubs to ones in Cuba, New York, London and Paris during the 1950s. https://t.co/9GGN8Njdx4
— The Detroit News (@detroitnews) March 11, 2021
47 of 77
49. “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, boxing legend, 66
Source:Getty
49 of 77
50. Robert Ashby, military hero, 95
Source:Getty
50 of 77
51. Obe Noir, rapper-activist, 31
Source:Instagram
51 of 77
52. Marshall Latimore, journalist, 36
Source:The Atlanta Voice
52 of 77
53. Lawrence Otis Graham, author, 59
Source:Getty
53 of 77
54. Jahmil French, actor, 28
Source:Getty
54 of 77
55. Bunny Wailer, reggae icon, 73
Source:Getty
55 of 77
56. Irv Cross, legendary broadcaster, 81
Source:Getty
56 of 77
57. Shelia Washington, founder, Scottsboro Boys Museum and Cultural Center, 61
Source:William H. Hampton
57 of 77
58. Antoine Hodge, opera singer, 38
Source:GoFundMe
58 of 77
59. Douglas Turner Ward, actor, Negro Ensemble Company co-founder, 90
Source:WENN
59 of 77
60. Prince Markie Dee, rapper, 52
Source:Getty
60 of 77
61. Vincent Jackson, former NFL star, 38
Source:Getty
61 of 77
62. Danny Ray, MC who put cape on James Brown, 85
Source:Getty
62 of 77
63. Frederick K.C. Price, evangelist, 89
“They know if we ever let these Black people get equality that they will take over they will be on top of everything” – Frederick K. C. Price pic.twitter.com/NYI11QgTEz
— The Black Detour (@theblackdetour) February 12, 2021
63 of 77
64. Terez Paylor, sports journalist, 37
Source:facebook
64 of 77
65. Mary Wilson, co-founder of The Supremes, 76
Source:Getty
65 of 77
66. Karen Lewis, former Chicago Teachers Union president, 67
Source:Getty
66 of 77
67. Leon Spinks, former heavyweight champion, 67
Source:Getty
67 of 77
68. Dianne Durham, gymnast, 52
Source:Getty
68 of 77
69. John Chaney, college basketball coaching legend, 89
Source:Getty
69 of 77
70. Cicely Tyson, actresss, 96
Source:Getty
70 of 77
71. Hank Aaron, MLB icon, 86
Source:Getty
71 of 77
72. Duranice Pace, gospel singer, 62
Source:Getty
72 of 77
73. Tim Lester, NFL star, 52
Source:Getty
73 of 77
74. Bryan Monroe, former NABJ president, 55
Source:Getty
74 of 77
75. Meredith C. Anding Jr., civil rights icon, 79
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Meredith Anding Jr., one of the Tougaloo College students who attempted to integrate the Jackson Municipal Library in 1961. Thank you for taking a stand for Freedom! Our thoughts and prayers are with the Anding family. pic.twitter.com/HC1tURbUd2
— Medgar&MyrlieEversInstitute (@MMEI63) January 12, 2021
75 of 77
76. Eric Jerome Dickey, best-selling author, 59
Source:Getty
76 of 77
77. Floyd Little, football legend, 78
Source:Getty
77 of 77
New Reports Highlight Impact Of Gun Violence on Children And Teens
was originally published on
newsone.com
