Re-post from Fox 2 New St Louis
Posted: May 11, 2022 / 06:45 AM CDT
Updated: May 11, 2022 / 06:45 AM CDT
The CDC blames systemic inequalities and racial disparities for high numbers of gun-related homicides and suicides in 2020, the first year of the COVID pandemic.
In a report released Tuesday, officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say firearms were involved in 70 percent of homicides that year. They also found firearms were used in 53 percent of suicides in people ages 10 to 44. A 35 percent rise in gun homicides brought the highest number in more than 25 years. In a meeting transcript, officials said levels were high in just about every social, racial, and economic group. However, the largest increases were in low-income communities and non-Hispanic Black males.
If you or someone you know is thinking about hurting themselves, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/talk-to-someone-now/.