Over 5,700 Hispanics Killed by Guns in the U.S. in 2023, Study Finds

A recent study by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) has uncovered that more than 5,700 Hispanics lost their lives to gun violence in the United States in 2023, with the firearms industry increasingly targeting this demographic as a new market for gun sales. The study, titled 'Hispanic Victims of Lethal Firearms Violence in the United States,' reports that out of the 5,747 gun-related deaths among Hispanics that year, 3,284 were homicides and 2,198 were suicides.

Over a 22-year span from 2002 to 2023, the study found that more than 83,000 Hispanics were killed by guns, with the majority being homicides. The research also notes a significant rise in the percentage of Hispanic homicide victims killed with firearms, from 69% in 2002 to 77% in 2023. Handguns were involved in 53% of these homicides.

The VPC study criticizes the firearms industry and gun lobby for their concerted efforts since 2015 to market guns to Hispanics and other communities of color, aiming to expand their consumer base beyond the traditional white male market. This marketing strategy is seen as a potential factor in the increasing rates of gun violence within these communities.

Recommendations from the study include improving data collection on ethnic origin to better understand and address gun violence among Hispanics, enhancing violence reduction programs, and raising awareness about the firearms industry's marketing tactics. The full reports in English and Spanish are available for further reading.