The impact of violence on Blacks has been enormous, particularly from so-called gang fights over turf. It’s caused massive loss of life, but also unacceptable shifts for many families, she said.
Dr. Meyers pointed out the September 2013 shooting rampage by Aaron Alexis, who despite saying he’d been hearing voices and was treated for insomnia, killed 12 people on a Navy shipyard in Washington, D.C. as an example of how the growing mental health crisis in the Black community and lack of treatment and care exacerbates the issue of violence.
Tackling the gun supply is one solution, she said. “In Chicago young men are obtaining weapons from illegal and underground suppliers and these weapons are being used for them to kill each other,” said Dr. Meyers.