Chicago – June 25, 2024
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has declared gun violence a public health crisis in the United States.
In an advisory on Tuesday, Murthy called for stricter laws to limit the widespread availability of firearms, which many blame for the high levels of gun violence in the country. “Firearm violence is an urgent public health crisis that has led to loss of life, unimaginable pain, and profound grief for far too many Americans,” Murthy said.
While mass shootings get a lot of attention, everyday gun violence is a constant threat, causing a rise in gun injuries and deaths. Murthy noted that young people and communities of color are especially affected. He said the impact of gun violence goes beyond the approximately 50,000 people killed each year in the U.S., affecting those who witness or survive shootings or deal with injuries or the loss of loved ones.
“America should be a place where all of us can go to school, work, the supermarket, or our house of worship without fearing for our lives,” he told the Associated Press. He called for greater background checks, restrictions on guns in public spaces, and banning high-power automatic rifles.
The report notes that gun violence became the leading cause of death among U.S. children and youths in 2020, with firearms-related deaths, including murders, accidental deaths, and suicides, continuing to rise.
