A recent study by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) has uncovered that more than 5,700 Hispanics lost their lives to gun violence in the United States in 2023, with the firearms industry increasingly targeting this demographic as a new market for sales and political influence. The study, titled 'Hispanic Victims of Lethal Firearms Violence in the United States,' utilizes data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), revealing a disturbing trend over a 22-year period from 2002 to 2023, during which over 83,000 Hispanics were killed by guns.
Of the 5,747 Hispanic lives claimed by guns in 2023, 3,284 were homicides, and 2,198 were suicides, with handguns involved in 53 percent of the homicides. The study also notes a significant increase in the female Hispanic firearm suicide rate, which doubled from 2002 to 2023. The VPC's findings underscore the firearms industry's strategic shift towards marketing to Hispanics and other communities of color, following the saturation of the traditional white male market.
The report criticizes current data collection methods for underreporting Hispanic victims due to the lack of information on ethnic origin and calls for governmental agencies to improve data gathering to better address and prevent gun violence in these communities. Recommendations include enhancing violence reduction programs, improving access to resources for domestic violence victims, and raising awareness about the firearms industry's marketing strategies targeting Hispanics.
The complete reports in English and Spanish are available for further reading, providing a comprehensive look at the impact of gun violence on the Hispanic community in the U.S. and the industry's role in exacerbating this issue.
