According to new research from Amanda Hernández at Stateline, youth gun deaths have skyrocketed in recent years, particularly among Black children.
An examination of the most recent mortality data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that firearm-related deaths among children aged 17 and under increased by nearly 50 percent from 2019 to 2023. As of 2023, the national rate is roughly four gun deaths per 100,000 children.
While there has been an increase in gun deaths among all American children, the rate of firearm-related deaths among Black children far outpaces that of their peers. For every 100,000 children, 11.7 Black children and 2.1 White children died by firearm in 2023. Among youth homicides in 2023, 8.9 Black children and one White child died by firearm per every 100,000 children.
Since 2015, firearms have been the leading cause of death for Black American children.
