U.S. schools reopen amid growing calls to combat youth gun violence

Children mourn for victims of a school mass shooting at a square in Uvalde, Texas, the United States, on May 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

According to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety, gun violence in schools rose by 31 percent last year. Even more alarmingly, firearms have become the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States, surpassing other causes such as traffic accidents and cancer.

SACRAMENTO, the United States, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- As students across the United States are returning to classrooms for the new school year, the specter of gun violence looms large over American communities, with recent data and events highlighting the ongoing crisis, and some cities and organizations launching new efforts to address the issue.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, more than 100 residents participated in a peace walk on Saturday to raise awareness about youth gun violence. The event, which took place on the city's far east side, marked the fifth anniversary of the tragic murders of two teenagers who were shot and killed by another teenager in 2019.

"Our children are hurting," said Antonia Bailey, the mother of the slain siblings, to The Indianapolis Star. "They're being raised by parents that are hurting and have no clue what to do."

The peace walk came at a time when youth homicides in Indianapolis were steadily rising. According to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, 25 homicides of individuals 17 years or younger were investigated in 2023, with additional cases handled by neighboring police departments.

Meanwhile, in Seattle, Washington, city officials and the school district announced a combined 14.5 million investment to protect youth from gun violence. The funding, unveiled last week, aimed to implement safety measures before the start of the new school year on Sept. 4.

Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones outlined some planned improvements, including new cameras, additional signage, fencing, and access control measures. The district also doubled security specialist staff at key schools and creating a new position called "executive director of student and community safety."

The investment came in the wake of recent tragedies, including the shooting death of a 17-year-old student in a school parking lot in June and the fatal shooting of another 17-year-old high school student in 2022. Despite significant budget shortfalls, city and district leaders emphasized the importance of investing in school safety.

Recent national data underscored the urgency of addressing youth gun violence.

According to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety, gun violence in schools rose by 31 percent last year. Even more alarmingly, firearms have become the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 17 in the United States, surpassing other causes such as traffic accidents and cancer.

People display photos of victims of gun violence during a march to the Capitol to protest for a ban on assault weapons, in Washington, D.C., the United States, on April 17, 2023. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

The impact of gun violence on Black children is particularly severe. The Giffords Law Center, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reported that gun violence had been the leading cause of death for Black children since 2006. In 2022, Black children were more than 18 times more likely to be killed in a gun homicide than white children.

The pervasiveness of firearms in U.S. society continued to be a subject of debate and research. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined the association between the start of deer hunting season and shootings in rural U.S. counties.

The study found that the first week of deer hunting season was associated with a significant increase in shootings relative to the week prior. The researchers concluded that their findings "align with a body of research showing that firearm prevalence is associated with an increase in the risk of firearm violence."

As the gun violence crisis persists, some advocates are calling for more comprehensive approaches to address the issue.

In Tennessee, where educators are allowed to carry guns in schools, some parents expressed concern about the presence of firearms on school grounds, regardless of who is carrying them.

Rebekah Schuler, an 18-year-old survivor of a school shooting in Michigan, has become a volunteer for Students Demand Action, advocating for laws requiring background checks for handguns, secure storage for firearms, and other measures to keep children safe.

"We've normalized this crisis for too long, and it doesn't have to be this way," Schuler told the USA Today newspaper.