Young US Blacks See Lives Shattered by Gun Violence

Columbine, Aurora, Newtown -- it's mass killings like these that revive the debate on US gun laws. But for thousands of young African Americans, gun violence is a day-to-day ordeal.

Published

3 months ago

Categories

US

Topics

Gun Violence, African Americans, United States

Places

United States of America

Transcript

SCRIPT: Every Tuesday afternoon at Washington Hospital, this group of men meets to talk about life bound to a wheelchair. All are paralyzed, victims of a bullet that spared their lives but changed them forever. SOUNDBITE 1 Kwame Dew (man), victim of gun violence (English, 19 sec): "I was coming from the club. My friend was at the car, waiting for me because I was talking to this girl. And they are rushing me to come get into the car. So I ran to the car // and pulled off. As soon as I pulled off, I blanked out." 38-year-old Kwame was only 25 when he was shot. He's one of thousands of black men injured or killed every year in gun-related violence. With nearly 300 million privately owned firearms across the US, Americans are the most powerfully armed civilians in the world. Mass killings, like the Newtown school shooting that left 20 young children and 6 adults dead, always stir the debate on US gun laws. But experts say these massacres don't reflect the real problem. SOUNDBITE 2 David Cole (man), Professor, Georgetown University Law Center (English, 23 sec): "The reality of gun violence in the United States is that it is concentrated in the inner-cities, among the poor and the victims are disproportionally, overwhelmingly young black and hispanic men." More than 30 people are shot and killed every day in the US, and nearly half of them are black -- mostly killed by other black men. After a youth marred by crime, "Ish" was shot in 1998 by an armed robber. One bullet grazed his head, and another ripped through his neck. He was lucky to survive and says he's learned a hard lesson. SOUNDBITE 3 Ismail "Ish" Watkins (man), victim of gun violence (English, 12 sec): "It's not worth it. Just think first before you react, you know. Because once you will get punished, there is no way out. It's easy to get in trouble but it's hard to get out." Homicides were the leading cause of death among 10 to 24-year-old African Americans in 2012, and since the Newtown shooting in December, more than 2,000 men and women have been shot and killed. Sobering statistics that reflect the nationwide problem of gun violence. ----------- SHOTLIST: WASHINGTON, JANUARY 29, 2013, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR or the Urban Reentry support group at Washington Hospital Center - shots of the group members talking and listening - VAR of Kwame listening to other group members talk - SOUNDBITE 1 Kwame Dew - Kwame moving around the room in his wheelchair - MS of Kwame listening to other group members talk ST LOUIS, MISSOURI, APRIL 13, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR of an NRA convention with various weapons on display NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT, DECEMBER 17, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - "We promise to never forget you" cross outside firehouse and road leading to Sandy Hook Elementary School - Picture at memorial of Caroline Previdi - VAR of memorial with candles, teddy bears and flowers WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 14, 2013, SOURCE: AFPTV - cutaways of David Cole - SOUNDBITE 2 David Cole AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, MARCH 7, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR of pedestrians WASHINGTON, JANUARY 29, 2013, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR of Ismail Watkins - SOUNDBITE 3 Ismail Watkins - VAR of the support group talking amongst themselves