New Research: Black Children Face Eightfold Risk of Firearm Homicides Compared to White Peers

Recent research by Amanda Hernández at Stateline reveals a troubling surge in youth gun fatalities, especially among Black children. Analyzing CDC mortality data from 2019 to 2023, firearm deaths for those 17 and under rose nearly 50%. In 2023, 11.7 Black children versus 2.1 White children per 100,000 lost their lives to gun violence. Since 2015, guns have been the primary culprit in deaths of Black youth. The disparities in these statistics underscore a pressing crisis in American society.