Commentary: According to the New Mexico Department of Public Health, 405 people were killed in New Mexico in 2015. That is 66 more people killed than in 2014 and a 16.4 percent increase in firearm deaths. This is the greatest increase New Mexico has seen in decades.
“Not only is gun violence hurting our communities, it is have a devastating effect on our young people. From 2005 to 2014, 333 young people under 21 were killed with a gun in New Mexico, “ says Miranda Viscoli co-president of New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence
In addition to these numbers, a new Center for American Progress report released today has found a strong correlation between the relative weakness of New Mexico gun laws and the level of gun violence in that state. New Mexico had the ninth-highest rate of gun related death of any state, with a gun violence index of 14.91 gun-related deaths for every 100,000 people. The Center for American Progress has also published an interactive map that links to state specific fact sheets showing how New Mexico ranked in each of 10 specific indicators of gun violence.
The report analyzes 10 specific indicators of gun violence in all 50 states and found that the 10 states with the weakest gun laws collectively have levels of gun violence that are more than three times higher than the 10 states with the strongest gun laws.
The report looks at 10 critical indicators of gun violence in the United States, including overall gun deaths; gun suicides, homicides and accidents; mass shootings; intimate partner gun homicides of women; gun deaths of people younger than age 21; law enforcement feloniously killed with a gun; fatal shootings by police; and the rate at which crime guns are exported.
“There is an unquestionable link between the strength of New Mexico’s gun laws and its rate of gun violence,” said Chelsea Parsons, Vice President for Guns and Crime Policy at CAP. “Lawmakers in New Mexico should strongly consider strengthening gun laws in order to bring down the high rate of gun violence citizens in New Mexico are experiencing.”