Locked Down and Loaded: The 2020 Gun Surge and Violence Prevention

This program was produced by Monica Lopez as part of a project of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism Data Fellowship 

2020 and the first few months of 2021 are shaping up to be some of the biggest periods ever for U.S.  firearms sales. In California, however, gun sales last year decreased slightly.

For the past six months, reporter Monica Lopez has been digging into the data to understand more about gun buying and gun buyers in California. Below are charts highlighting some of her findings.

In this episode we hear what she learned from members of the gun and mental health communities. They discuss what they are doing to help prevent gun violence in the wake of surging national gun sales.

CA Gun Homicides & Suicides, 2015-2020, Estimated

This chart shows an annual estimate of gun homicides & suicides in California. The figures in this chart are lower than the actual number of firearm deaths reported by county coroners and medical examiners each year.

Estimated Firearms Sold in 2020, U.S.

National gun sales were estimated from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System data using a method published by the New York Times and Buzzfeed.

Estimated Firearms Sold in 2020, California

California gun sales were estimated from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System data using a method published by the New York Times and Buzzfeed.

California Gun Suicides by County:
Percent Change, 2020 vs. Historical Average (2015-2019) 

In Placer County, 95% more people died by self-inflicted gunshot wounds than the previous five-year average, while Santa Barbara saw 44% fewer gun suicides.

 

This program was produced as part of a project of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism Data Fellowship.

Special Thanks to: Andrew Tran, Danielle Fox, Susan Racho, Hank Lopez and Dr. Marisela Marquez

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Featuring:

  • Lawrence Taylor, first-time gun buyer
  • Tom Nguyen, founder of L.A. Progressive Shooters
  • Geneva Solomon, co-owner of Redstone firearms
  • Mark Oliva, Director of Public Affairs, National Shooting Sports Foundation
  • Dr. Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, historian and author of Loaded: A Disarming History of the Second Amendment
  • Dr. Doreen Marshall, Vice President of Mission Engagement of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  • Michael Sodini, founder of Walk the Talk America

Credits:

  • Host/Producer: Monica Lopez

Making Contact Staff:

  • Executive Director: Sonya Green
  • Staff Producers: Monica Lopez, Anita Johnson, Salima Hamirani
  • Web and social media updates: Sabine Blaizine
  • Gun Survey Community Outreach Coordinator: Sandina Robbins

Music Credit:

Sergey Cheremisinov, Hibernation

Blue Dot Sessions: Messy Inkwell, Velvet Ladder

[This story was originally published by Making Contact.]

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