Alaska doubles the rate of gun deaths in the U.S. by CARLOS MATías
The rate of gun deaths has increased by 34% in the decade from 2011 to 2020. That is; they have been one percent more than in the rest of the country, at 33%. This is data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics. Nearly four in ten fatalities were Alaska Native; nearly three in ten were black; one in six were Latino; and one in ten were of Asian origin.
Latinos and those of Asian origin (especially Korean Americans) are the two population groups that have suffered the most as victims of gun violence in recent years, and they are increasingly fearful of being attacked in the immediate future. According to statistics from the EveryTown For Gun Safety Foundation’s EveryStat tool, 173 people are killed by firearms in Alaska in an average year, representing a rate of 23.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
The rate of gun violence deaths in Alaska increased 34% between 2011 and 2020, one percent more than the 33% increase recorded for the country. This means that there were 49 more-gun deaths in Alaska in 2020 than there were in 2011. 39.3% of those killed by firearms were Alaska native, 29.3% were Black of African American origin; 15.5% were Latino; and 11.1% were Asian.
In Alaska, 68% of gun deaths have been suicides, averaging 118 deaths per year. This rate of gun suicides increased 27% from 2011 to 2020, while the increase measured nationwide was 12%. But gun violence costs Alaska $1.1 billion each year, $42.8 million of which is paid for by taxpayers. Gun homicides, assaults, and shootings by police cost Alaska $389 million each year. Alaska ranks 14th. The highest cost of firearm homicides, assault and battery injuries, and police shootings in the U.S. is $526 per capita. Alaska has 46 firearm homicides each year. This is the highest rate of firearm homicides nationwide. Black people are five times more likely to be killed by firearms than the white population.
Sol de Medianoche has asked to interview the top representatives of the main organizations that demand stricter control of firearms in the hands of private citizens, or even the total eradication of their possession. But none of them were able to attend us because their agenda is full of meetings and activities aimed at “doing something” against the indiscriminate possession of weapons, “especially when they are no longer defense weapons, but automatic weapons of attack, intended for cases of war,” as one of them informally told us. Only Patrick Davis, communications officer for Public Citizen, promoter of the Gun Control NOW campaign, has provided us with access to the numerous studies and statistics reflected in this article.
