A recent study by the Violence Policy Center has documented that 5,747 Hispanic individuals died from gun violence in the United States in 2023, with firearms increasingly marketed to this community as a new sales demographic. The research, titled 'Hispanic Victims of Lethal Firearms Violence in the United States,' draws on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to illuminate concerning patterns of firearm-related mortality. Of these deaths, 3,284 were homicides and 2,198 were suicides, while the remainder resulted from unintentional shootings and other circumstances.
Over a 22-year period from 2002 to 2023, more than 83,000 Hispanics were killed with guns, indicating a sustained crisis of gun violence within this population. The study further identifies a troubling trend where the firearms industry and gun lobby have redirected marketing efforts toward Hispanics and other communities of color to broaden their consumer base beyond white male gun owners. This strategic pivot raises alarms about potential escalations in gun violence within these communities.
Violence Policy Center Executive Director Josh Sugarmann highlighted deficiencies in data collection concerning Hispanic ethnicity, noting that actual victim counts may exceed reported figures. The study advocates for enhanced data methodologies and violence prevention approaches to effectively confront this issue. The complete report is accessible in English and Spanish for further examination.
