Americans expect reduction in gun violence in 2024

In the year 2023, the toll of lives lost to gun violence in the United States has surpassed a devastating milestone, with more than 40,000 individuals falling victim to this tragic epidemic. This staggering figure underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and effective measures to address and mitigate the profound impact of gun violence on communities across the nation. As advocates and policymakers grapple with this sobering reality, the pursuit of meaningful reforms remains a critical imperative to safeguard lives and build a safer future for all.

In the ongoing year, the United States has witnessed a staggering toll of at least 40,167 lives lost to gun violence, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive. This grim statistic translates to an alarming daily average of nearly 118 deaths. Among the tragic victims, 1,306 were teenagers, and 276 were children.

A disheartening reality reveals that the predominant cause of gun violence deaths in 2023 stems from suicides, accounting for a substantial 22,506 cases. This translates to an average of approximately 66 deaths by suicide per day. Unsettlingly, the states most affected by this dire situation include Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, and Louisiana.

Within this distressing narrative, the toll extends to those involved in law enforcement. A total of 1,344 individuals lost their lives in police officer-involved shootings, with 46 police officers fatally shot in the line of duty. Additionally, there were 1,472 reported “unintentional” shootings, adding to the overall tragedy.

The year 2023 has been marred by an alarming frequency of mass shootings, numbering more than 632 so far. Defined by the Gun Violence Archive as incidents with four or more victims shot or killed, these mass shootings have resulted in 597 deaths and 2,380 injuries. Notably, the deadliest event this year unfolded on October 25 in Lewiston, Maine, where a mass shooting claimed the lives of at least 18 people and left 13 others injured, marking one of the deadliest incidents in recent decades, according to Maine Governor Janet Mills.

The sobering reality is that the United States has consistently surpassed 39,000 gun violence-related deaths annually since 2014, as reported by the Gun Violence Archive. Although there has been a decline from the peak years of 2016, 2017, and 2018, where annual deaths exceeded 50,000, the toll remains devastating. In 2022, there were still 44,310 such deaths.

In response to this crisis, President Joe Biden took a significant step last June by signing a gun safety package into law—the first congressional gun reform bill in decades. Despite this progress, advocates for gun reform, including Florida lawmakers Rep. Jared Moskowitz and Rep. Maxwell Frost, emphasize the need for more stringent measures. Speaking on the fifth anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, they called on Congress to take further action to address and curb the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in the United States.

Security analysts are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming year, foreseeing a more positive outlook in 2024. There is hope for a reduction in violence across the country, with expectations that authorities will respond by channeling increased investments into bolstering security measures. This anticipated shift reflects a collective effort to create a safer environment and address the challenges posed by various forms of violence. As the year progresses, the efficacy of these strategies and the commitment of authorities to enhancing security will be closely monitored to gauge the overall improvement in the safety landscape.

_{Text by: Fabricio Bomjardim and TheNews2 editorial.
Image: Kyle Mazza}