The Anne Arundel County Gun Violence Prevention Task Force (GVPTF) presented its final report last Friday, ending a year-long inquiry into gun violence through the lens of public health, and recommending a broad portfolio of 55 initiatives and resources to reduce firearm-related deaths and injuries.
Chief among the task force findings -- which defined gun violence in the county as an urgent public health issue -- was the change in the number of deaths due to firearms over time. The proportion of deaths due to homicide rather than suicide has been steadily increasing and in 2018, the proportion of homicides and suicide deaths were nearly equivalent. During 2014-2018, there were a total of 223 deaths from firearms, with suicides accounting for the highest proportion of deaths during this time period at an average of 63%.
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