Along with all Boston-area residents, we express our hopes for the swift recovery of East Boston police officers Richard Cintolo and Matt Morris, and a two year-old Roxbury girl, all of whom were shot in separate incidents this past week.
Officers Cintolo and Morris were shot in an unprovoked attack while responding to a domestic violence call. Their fellow officers demonstrated remarkable courage by moving them to safety and administering emergency care on scene—actions that almost certainly saved both their lives.
The two-year-old child in Roxbury became a victim when she was struck by gunfire during a gang-related shooting involving her father.
These two incidents reflect the widespread gun violence culture that characterizes America in the 21st century.
According to the most recent FBI crime report, violent crime nationwide has continued its downward trend, with the notable exception of several inner cities, particularly Chicago, where murder rates remain persistently elevated. A recent New York Times article noted that arrests for simple marijuana possession actually exceed arrests for all violent crime categories combined across the United States.
Yet when tragedies like those in East Boston and Roxbury occur in our own communities, gun violence ceases to be merely a statistic and becomes a lived reality.
The numbers tell a sobering story: Since 2001, approximately 11,000 Americans have been murdered by firearms annually—roughly 300 citizens each day. Over 15 years, this totals 165,000 deaths, surpassing the 2996 lives lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 5793 combat deaths of U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the current fight with ISIS during that same period.
Public opinion supports numerous common-sense gun regulations: expanded background checks (85%), laws preventing those with mental illness from purchasing firearms (79%), and a federal database tracking all gun sales (70%). A majority of Americans (57%) also back bans on assault-style weapons.
We do not claim these measures alone will eliminate gun violence, but they represent essential components in reducing the serious threat to our police officers and citizens of all ages.
As we hold officers Cintolo and Morris and that two-year-old girl in our prayers, we also urge our elected officials to find the political will to address the violence that devastates countless American lives.