Show an ad over header. AMP

I am the FIRST!!!

Latinos twice as likely as white people to die from gunfire

Data: Violence Policy Center; Chart: Will Chase/Axios

Nearly 3,000 Latinoseach year have died from gunfire in the United States over the last two decades, making them twice as likely to be shot to death than white non-Hispanics, according to a study from the Violence Policy Center.

By the numbers: Almost 70,000 Latinos were killed with firearms between 1999 and 2019, 66% of them in homicides, according to the center’s data analysis.


  • The nonprofit found that in 2019 there were 5.15 Latino victims of homicides per 100,000 people, nearly double the rate of 2.62 per 100,000 for non-Hispanic white people.
  • Latinos were also more likely to be killed by strangers in circumstances like arguments or alcohol-related brawls, per the center, which advocates for gun control.

Yes, but: Latino communities are divided on gun control: A Pew survey from 2020 found 80% of Latinos who identify as Democrats favor stricter gun laws, compared to 42% who identify as Republicans.

Between the lines: The yearly rise in reported firearm incidents involving Latinos stems from campaigns that encourage them to buy guns, a separate analysis from the center found.

  • Some bought arms for self protection after a man drove to a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, with the expressed intention of killing "Mexicans." He is charged with killing 23 people, eight of them Mexican nationals, and wounding nearly two dozen more.

Driving the news: On Wednesday, a day after the second anniversary of that mass shooting, Mexico’s government filed a lawsuit against 10 gun manufacturers in the U.S.

  • Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said firearm companies have contributed to the mass bloodshed of Mexicans at the hands of drug cartels, since they use guns legally purchased in the U.S.and illegally smuggled across the border.

Yes, but: The lawsuit is mostly symbolic, since the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act safeguards the industry from almost all civil liability.

Of note: The Violence Policy Center study analyzed official databases, but its authors stress that the actual numbers "of Hispanic victims of gun violence is almost certainly higher than" reported.

  • Relevant agencies rarely capture reliable data on ethnicity, like Latinidad, and not all government reports include information beyond racial data.
  • Polls also show Latinos are less inclined to report crimes they witnessed or were victims of, either because of immigration status or general wariness towards officers.

Go deeper: An undercount of Latinos killed by police

Listen to Marina discuss the lawsuit on Axios Today.

regular 4 post ff

infinite scroll 4 pff

Defense Secretary Austin extends National Guard deployment at Capitol

Roughly 2,300 National Guard troops will support Capitol Police efforts in Washington, D.C. through at least May 23 after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a request to extend their deployment on Tuesday.

The state of play: It's a nearly 50% reduction to the current number of troops at the Capitol, which has been occupied by Guard troops since the Jan. 6 attack by pro-Trump supporters.

Rep. Seth Moulton says leaving Bagram Air Field made Afghan withdrawal dangerous

Giving up the security of Bagram Air Field — and funneling everyone to Kabul's civilian airport — fueled the chaotic and deadly departure underway in Afghanistan, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) told Axios.

Why it matters: Moulton was lambasted for his secret trip to Kabul, but he brought along a former Marine infantry officer's perspective. What would he have done differently? "There's one very simple order, which would have been to start this evacuation months ago."

Keep reading...Show less

OnlyFans suspends plan to ban "sexually explicit" content

OnlyFans, an online creator platform known for its adult content, announced via Twitter Wednesday that it has dropped plans to ban "sexually explicit" content on its platform in October.

Why it matters: The move comes after the proposed ban sparked an outcry from sex workers who relied on the platform to safely make a living.

Keep reading...Show less

Taliban capture third-largest city in Afghanistan, 11th provincial capital in last week

Data: Al Jazeera and AP; Map: Axios Visuals

The Taliban captured the cities of Ghazni and Herat on Thursday, the 10th and 11th provincial capitals to fall to the militant group in recent days, AP reports.

Why it matters: Herat is the third-largest city in Afghanistan. Ghazni is the closest provincial capital to Kabul to fall to the Taliban — putting their frontlines within 100 miles of the heart of Afgahn government. Capturing Ghazni also cuts off a key highway linking it with Afghanistan's southern provinces.

Keep reading...Show less

Insights

mail-copy

Get Goodhumans in your inbox

Most Read

More Stories
<!ENTITY lol2 “&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;&lol;“> <!ENTITY lol3 “&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;&lol2;“> <!ENTITY lol4 “&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;&lol3;“> ]> &lol4;