Gun violence related homicide risks in a district- a public crisis

Introduction The escalating incidence of gun violence in the United States, particularly in the District of Columbia (DC), necessitates a deeper understanding. Our study focuses on the geographical patterns of gun-related crimes to understand neighborhood spread, its association with allied crime, and its effect on disadvantaged segments. By analyzing these patterns, we aim to identify potential intervention points. Methods We employed descriptive statistics to analyze continuous data, such as counts of gun violence incidents, from 2015 to 2023. We utilized the Chi-square test of independence to examine the relationship between categorical variables. Additionally, we conducted a spatial analysis to identify rates of homicides and Assaults with a Deadly Weapon (ADW) and map their collocation. Private and public schools were overlayed on the Kernel density of nighttime incidents of homicide and ADW. Results The crude ADW rate was 708 per year versus the homicide rate of 131 per year over nine years. Most ADW and homicide occurred after midnight, and its association with midnight occurrence was statistically significant. The ADW and homicide rate maps showed predominance in the south of DC. The Kernel Density map of gun crimes showed that both public and private schools are near hotspots (red) in DC. The collocation map showed statistically significant occurrences between ADW and Homicide. Conclusions Homicide gun violence is heavily concentrated in disadvantaged communities. The study warrants better surveillance, resource allocations, interventions, and reducing gun related violences.