Previously on SBPDL: In 71 Percent White King County, Washington (Home to Seattle), 85 Percent of Firearm Violence Is Committed by Non-Whites

Seattle is seven percent black and 65% white.

In early March of 2019, King County’s Public Health Department released the FIREARM DEATHS AMONG RESIDENTS OF KING COUNTY AND SEATTLE 2012-2016 report.

What’s incredible is an admission buried deep within the report:

39 of 69 homicides by firearm between 2012 and 2016 were committed by blacks

Remember those demographics cited above? This means 56 percent of firearm homicides in 65% white Seattle from 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 were committed by a racial group making up only seven percent of the city…

But don’t worry, the authors of the were quick to excuse away black firearm violence on white privilege and discrimination (never mind whites committed 82 percent of firearm suicides in Seattle and King County during the same period, as noted by the study… it’s a hallmark and privilege of whiteness to use a firearm to kill oneself):

Discussion of race/ethnicity and neighborhood poverty • Race/ethnicity and neighborhood poverty results included in this chart pack should be interpreted in the context of many additional complex social, economic, and political factors that can influence environmental and individual health outcomes.* • Many communities of color have experienced social and economic discrimination and other forms of racism. This can contribute to concentrated economic disadvantage—a community risk factor for interpersonal violence—and can negatively affect the health and well-being of these communities.** • Recognizing that firearm violence cannot be extricated from generations of racial and other forms of systemic oppression, it is important to be aware of racial and ethnic group disparities in premature deaths. • We are using this analysis to inform our work and the work of our community partners so that all communities are safe, supported, and have opportunities to thrive. We hope this will lead to strategies that address these issues, as well as the social and economic inequities which underlie them.

White people using a firearm to take their own lives in such high numbers (434 of 529 firearm suicides in King County from 2012 – 2016 were by whites ending their own lives) isn’t much of a concern to the health officials in King County, but they were extra careful to basically add a disclaimer to the report making sure to blame white privilege as the reason behind blacks using firearms to kill other people.