Gun violence is part of a broader destructive cycle of racial and economic inequality in the U.S., reflecting underlying social inequities that make it more challenging for many young black Americans to move out of poverty or become distanced from violence. Black Americans make up the largest group of those killed by gunfire, experiencing nearly 10 times more gun homicides and 15 times more gun assaults than white Americans.
This disproportionate impact is intrinsically linked with structural and institutional racism: studies have found that segregation, disinvestment, and poverty increase the risk of homicide victimization for Black Americans.