Firearm Related Fatalities and Injuries

Data Source: DC Firearm Injury Surveillance Through Emergency Rooms (FASTER), DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), and American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates. Why This Matters Firearms are one of the leading causes of death in the United States, and the leading cause of death for American youth. Gun violence also has a larger impact on communities and families. Knowing someone who died from gun violence is associated with negative mental health outcomes. Nationally, Black youth are killed by firearm-related incidents at five times the rate of white youth. Segregation and disinvestment in Black communities drives this disparity by reinforcing poverty and failing to provide adequate resources and amenities. The District Response The District of Columbia’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention was created in January 2022 to coordinate efforts to prevent gun violence. The Gun Violence Dashboards are updated daily with gun violence data from the previous day. The Building Block Grants awards funding to community members or organizations to provide innovative programming, activities, resources, and/or services to reduce gun violence in DC neighborhoods. The Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement’s Violence Intervention Initiative is a collaborative community engagement strategy designed to support District residents in reducing gun-related violence in our communities.