Between the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in homicides, nearly 1,000 lives were lost this year in the District. Almost 80 percent have been Black, even though African Americans now make up less than half of the city’s population. Some Black families have been struck by both the pandemic and gun violence, the twin tragedies compounding already immeasurable pain. Instead, she was pronounced dead at MedStar Washington Hospital: the 70th homicide victim in what would become the bloodiest year the District has seen in more than 15 years. Black unemployment in D.C. soared from 11 percent to 18 percent in the second quarter, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

Source: Washington Post December 30, 2020 12:00 UTC