Gun violence during COVID-19 pandemic: Paradoxical trends in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and Baltimore

Abstract

Fig. 1. Number of gun related incidents from 2018 to 2020 amongst New York, Baltimore, Chicago, and Los Angeles. It can be observed that Los Angeles has experienced the largest amount of gun incidents in 2020 (N = 567) while New York has experienced the least (N = 172). 2018 was not available for Baltimore.

When COVID-19 and guns meet: A rise in shootings

“…Given that the unit of analysis for this study is weekly data at the city level, it was difficult to get weekly information on structural covariates. Future research should examine whether the increase in gun violence was directly attributable to increased unemployment, alcohol consumption, and gun purchases ( Sutherland, McKenney, & Elkbuli, 2020 ). For example, job availability was significantly decreased in some service sectors, such as leisure and hospitality ( Falk et al, 2020 ).…”

Public Concern About Violence, Firearms, and the COVID-19 Pandemic in California

“…19 While most major news sources reported initial decreases in violent incidents, as measured by local police calls for service, following pandemic-related lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, the latest indications are that more serious acts of violence, particularly those involving firearms, have remained the same or increased. 20 In addition to a marked increase in shootings in several large cities across the country, 21 the pandemic appears to have fueled a surge in firearm background checks, an established proxy for firearm sales. Previous spikes in purchasing, such as those following mass shootings and political elections, have been associated with increased firearm violence.…”

Changes in trends during the COVID-19 lockdown: An urban, Level-1 trauma center's experience

“…18 This is comparable to that seen in New York City, Los Angeles, and Baltimore. 19 , 20 , 21 Domestic violence has also increased in an alarming way this appears to be associated with community lockdowns. 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 With its increased sales and consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic, 28 it has been proposed that alcohol intoxication plays a role in the increased violence seen.…”