Gun Violence Rises in DC

Story by Amani Parker. Photo courtesy of The Washington Post.

On January 17th, 2023, a woman was killed, a man and teenager were injured. The 54-year-old woman's name was Dale Henson, and she was pronounced dead on the scene with just a single gunshot wound to the head. The man and 15-year-old boy were taken to a nearby hospital. The teen was initially charged with carrying a weapon without a license, but as of Wednesday, police announced that he was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Gun violence is a growing problem in DC. A rise in gun-involved crimes started in 2022, when during the first six months of the year, DC saw 221 more violent gun-involved crimes compared to the same time period in 2021. In 2022, DC exceeded 200 homicides for the first time in 17 years.

My solution to this gun violence problem is to enforce more sensible gun laws. We can also establish more gun safety or smart guns. Countries such as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom have a lower percentage of gun-related crimes, whereas the United States has the highest at 79%.

My solution may not be the answer, but if nothing is done to address this issue, there will be more harsh crimes involving guns. Innocent lives are being taken and guns are falling into the wrong hands. If you feel powerless, there are ways you can help solve this problem. One way is by writing to your ANC, so they can talk to the mayor, who can hopefully pass laws for stricter gun control. Only working together can we hopefully end gun violence.

Amani Parker is a senior at Friendship Collegiate Academy.