CDC Studies Wilmington, Delaware's Gun Violence As Public Health Issue

Wilmington, Delaware, has consistently ranked among the most violent small U.S. cities on the FBI list. The city of more than 70,000 saw shooting incidents rise 45 percent between 2011 and 2013. And this year, Wilmington saw the number of shootings rise again with 131 shootings and 26 deaths.

City Councilor Hanifa Shabazz wanted to get to the root of the problem, so she spearheaded a resolution to call in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study what she calls “the disease” of violence.

The results of the report are in, and Shabazz tells Here & Now’s Robin Young she hopes the findings serve to rubber stamp what is already known about the risk factors for gun involvement and lead to a holistic approach to providing services for at-risk individuals.

Guest

• Hanifa G.N. Shabazz, city council member in Wilmington, Delaware.

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