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The rate of gun deaths in America increased by 35% in 2020, reaching levels not seen since 1994, the CDC said in a report released Tuesday (May 10).
Black people in the US were four times more likely to be killed by a gun than the overall population, the data revealed, with particularly deadly rates among Black men. Compared to white people, Black Americans were 12 times more likely to be killed by a gun.
Of the 19,350 gun homicides in 2020, Black people made up 62% of the victims and white people 21%.
The report said the reasons for the deepening inequality are "unclear and potentially complex" while stating that the Covid-19 pandemic may have "exacerbated existing social and economic stressors."
Data collected by the FBI found that homicides increased 30% in 2020 and that overall, reported acts of violence increased in the last two years. The Bureau also reported that an average of four Black girls and women were murdered per day in 2020.
The CDC's report showed the racial disparities are clear, as other oppressed groups showed an uptick in rates of gun deaths.
"Longstanding systemic inequities and structural racism have resulted in limited economic, housing, and educational opportunities associated with inequities in risk for violence and other health conditions among various racial and ethnic groups," the report said.
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