Youth most affected by gun violence

Mennonite Central Committee
Saturday, 27 May 2000

WASHINGTON -- Here are some disturbing facts. Nearly 12 Americans under the age of 19 are killed each day by gun violence. Gun homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 14 and, according to the National Center for Health Sciences, the second leading cause of death for young people, 15 to 24. And the New England Journal of Medicine reports that people living in households where guns are kept have a three times higher risk of homicide and a five times higher risk of suicide than those in homes without guns.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:

There were a total of 32,436 people killed by guns in the U.S. in 1997. Of these:

17,566 were gun suicides;

13,522 were gun homicides;

981 were unintentional or "accidental"" shootings;

367 were shooting deaths of undetermined intent.

Gun homicide is the fourth leading cause of death for young people 10 to 14 and the second leading cause of death for youth 15 to 24.

In 1997, more than 4,200 youth up to 19-years-old were killed by guns -- nearly 12 children every day in the United States that year. Of these:

2,580 were murdered by gunfire.

1,262 committed suicide using a gun --more than three people every day.

306 died from an unintentional or "accidental" shooting.

630 young people killed by guns were under the age of 15.

191 young people killed by guns were under the age of 10.

84 young people were under the age of 5.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org