Why America overlooks those most hurt by gun violence: ‘Black people are seen as expendable’

Henrika McCoy, an expert on victimization, says timeworn stereotypes prevent real understanding of violent crime in the US

In the first year of the pandemic, homicides throughout the US increased by 30%, the most dramatic one-year rise since the FBI began keeping crime data.

The increase was driven by a significant rise in gun violence, with shootings ticking up in cities big and small, in states led by Republicans and Democrats alike. Since then, curbing the rise in shootings has become a central topic among candidates vying for midterm election success. It has also prompted policy shifts from mayors across the country and recall challenges for progressive prosecutors in San Francisco and Los Angeles.