Denver Gun Violence Affects Success, Health Of Young People

DENVER, CO — An average of 700 young people in the Denver area are affected by gun violence each year, according to a new report released by Denver Public Health. In fact, guns are the leading cause of death in Denver for people under 25 years of age, contributing to both homicides and suicides.

In addition to how many young people were affected by gun violence in Denver, the report takes a look at other data, including how different Denver populations experience different levels of gun violence, risk factors for gun violence among young people, and what the community can do to address the issue.

Here’s a look at how many Denver young people are affected by gun violence each year:

• Victims of gun-related crimes: 616
• Emergency room visits and hospitalizations: 69
• Deaths: 13

In just six years (2012-2017), Denver youth experienced the following:

• Deaths due to gun violence: 74
• Suicides using a gun: 27
• Homicides using a gun: 47
• Ages with the highest rate of gun death: 15 to 24 years old

Other facts to note are young men had almost seven times the risk of being killed by a gun than young women. Young people account for nearly half (47 percent) of total gun-related emergency department visits, and 32 percent of the total gun-related hospitalizations annually.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, certain risk factors increase a young person’s chances of experiencing violence. Some of these include low neighborhood support and connectedness, economic stress, harmful norms around masculinity and femininity, and high density of liquor stores.

Young people affected by gun violence by race (Denver Public Health)

From 2014 to 2018, 3,080 Denver young people were victims of crimes involving guns. This means an average of 616 young people are victims of a crime involving a gun every year. From 2012 to 2017, there were more Hispanic youth killed by guns in Denver than black or white youth. The rate of black youth killed — taking into account how they represent 12 percent of Denver’s population — was more than five times higher than that of white youth.

Areas most impacted by gun violence (Denver Public Health)

The impacts of gun violence reaches well beyond those injured or directly affected by guns. According to the report, young people who participated in community discussions or focus groups said violence is a primary concern, and that feeling safe at home, school, and in their communities is crucial to being successful. Young people also said that violence — especially gun and gang violence — stands in their way of being healthy.

So how does the Denver community address these numbers? While law enforcement will always play a role in addressing and responding to the threat of gun violence, a public health approach can be used to prevent a young person from experiencing any kind of violence, according to the report.

Public health officials said that in addition to addressing the underlying risk factors, improving protective factors increase the likelihood that youth will thrive. Protective factors include connection to a caring adult, having a positive relationships with peers who engage in healthy activities, family support and community connectedness.

The report also suggests that the community officials recognize gun violence as a critical and preventable public health problem. The city could do this by creating a strategic plan to address violence — one that would include strategies to expand access to resources that address trauma caused by violence, and ways to improve quality of life for young people in high-risk areas.