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Hate Crimes

Issues

Hate Crimes

What is the problem?

In an average year, more than 25,000 hate crimes in the US involve a firearm—69 a day.1Everytown Research analysis of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). A yearly average was developed using 12 years of the most recently available data: 2010 to 2021. Easy access to guns gives a single, hate-filled individual the means to shatter numerous lives and whole communities.

The vast majority of reported hate crimes are directed against communities of color, religious minorities, and LGBTQ+ people.1Federal Bureau of Investigation, “Crime Data Explorer: Hate Crime in the United States,” accessed January 13, 2022, https://bit.ly/3Gsb3v1. These hate crimes can become deadly when firearms are involved. Easy access to firearms gives a hate-filled individual the opportunity to shatter numerous lives and whole communities, as evidenced by the June 2015 shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC, when a white supremacist opened fire in a church, killing nine Black worshippers;2Jason Horowitz, Nick Corasaniti, and Ashley Southall, “Nine Killed in Shooting at Black Church in Charleston,” New York Times, June 17, 2015, https://nyti.ms/2uGcqDb. the October 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg, PA, when a white nationalist killed 11 worshippers and wounded six more;3Campbell Robertson, Christopher Mele, and Sabrina Tavernise, “11 Killed in Synagogue Massacre; Suspect Charged With 29 Counts,” New York Times, October 27, 2018, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/27/us/active-shooter-pittsburgh-synagogue-shooting.html. the May 2022 shooting at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo, NY, when another white supremacist killed 10 Black people and wounded three more;4Mary B. Pasciak, “Tops Markets Shooter Chose AR-15 to Stoke Controversy,” Buffalo News, July 14, 2022, https://bit.ly/3PNO9DC; Craig Whitlock, David Willman, and Alex Horton, “Massacre Suspect Said He Modified Bushmaster Rifle to Hold More Ammunition,“ Washington Post, May 15, 2022, https://wapo.st/3SkEe8N. and the November 2022 shooting at Club Q, a LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs, CO, when a gunman shot at least 22 people, five fatally, many of whom identified as LGBTQ+.5Colorado Springs Police Department, “Update to Shooting at Club Q – Victim Update,” November 28, 2022, https://bit.ly/3WfKP7u; Debbie Kelley, “5 Victims in Club Q Mass Shooting Identified, as Mourning Continues Around Colorado Springs,” The Gazette, January 24, 2023, https://bit.ly/3MP058B.

Which states prohibit people with hate crime convictions from having firearms?

AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Alabama has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Alaska has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Arizona has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Arkansas has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

California has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Colorado has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Connecticut has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Delaware has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Florida has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Georgia has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Hawaii has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Idaho has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Illinois has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Indiana has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Iowa has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Kansas has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Kentucky has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Louisiana has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Maine has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Maryland has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Massachusetts has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Michigan has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Minnesota has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Mississippi has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Missouri has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Montana has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Nebraska has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Nevada has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

New Hampshire has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

New Jersey has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

New Mexico has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

New York has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

North Carolina has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

North Dakota has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Ohio has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Oregon has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Pennsylvania has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Rhode Island has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

South Carolina has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

South Dakota has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Tennessee has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Texas has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Utah has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Vermont has not adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Virginia has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Washington has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

West Virginia has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Wisconsin has adopted this policy

Hate Crime Prohibitor

Wyoming has not adopted this policy

Why is it an issue?

Current federal and state gun laws do not adequately address the problem. While all felonies prohibit gun possession under federal law,118 U.S.C. § 922(g) most misdemeanors, including hate crime misdemeanors, do not—even though hate crimes involving firearms were the catalyst for hate crime laws in the United States. Hate crime misdemeanors can be serious, violent acts, but under federal law, a violent or threatening hate crime misdemeanor conviction does not prohibit gun possession. While some states and Washington, DC, have laws closing this gap, many states have not taken action. This means that in parts of the country a person convicted of a violent hate crime could legally pass a background check and buy a gun.

By the numbers

You might be wondering…

  1. 1 What are hate crimes?