CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Why are so many people getting hurt by guns?
Let's connect the dots.
A new study from the CDC shows as COVID-19 cases rose in the U.S., so did injuries from firearms. The sharpest increase happened the week when George Floyd was killed by former Minneapolis police officers.
During the pandemic, murders and suicides using guns were at the highest rates since the early 90s. In the years since we've seen slight declines in ER visits from guns, but we're still seeing 20% more than we did back in 2019.
Most of the 1,100 hurt each week were young men between 15 and 24 years old, but researchers found a significant number of younger kids hospitalized each week. They say disruptions to daily routines and schooling may have influenced their risk of injury.
The CDC is now using this data to help drive community-based strategies like street outreach programs and conflict de-escalation to reduce violence.
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