New Database from News Journal Reminder of Toll of Gun Violence in Delaware

Yesterday, the Wilmington News Journal released a new database, “A Year of Gun Violence,” tracking both fatal and non-fatal shootings going back to 2017. This is a new resource for those looking to learn about gun violence in Delaware and find common-sense solutions to prevent shootings. 

Toplines from the database include:

• In the past 365 days, 129 people were injured and 38 were killed by gun homicide in Delaware, including officer-involved shootings.   
• The majority of gun homicide victims were young men.
• There’s a higher concentration of gun violence in Delaware’s cities — 73 percent of shootings in took place in Wilmington and Dover.

Over the summer, Gov. Carney and the City of Wilmington announced the launch of a Group Violence Intervention (GVI) program to address this public health crisis. GVI programs are a collaboration between law enforcement, community leaders, and social service providers to reach the groups at the highest risk of being involved in gun violence and have been shown to reduce gun violence.

As the News Journal database underscores, Delaware gun violence is a complex problem that demands comprehensive solutions. GVI is an important first step, but the state should invest in additional prevention and intervention strategies. Hospital-Based Violence Intervention programs (HVIPs) have a similar individualized approach by engaging patients hours after a violent injury to reduce the chance of victims returning to a lifestyle that results in more violence. An increase in state budget funding to support GVI, HVIPs and other evidence-based programs could save lives in Delaware.  

If you have any questions on gun violence in Delaware or would like to speak to a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, don’t hesitate to reach out.