York County Coroner: Gun violence should be a public health issue – York Daily Record
In investigating deaths in York County, whether it’s crashes, overdoses or suicides, York County Coroner Pam Gay says she looks for ways to prevent them and reduce harm in the community.
But Gay said she has angered some by writing in her 2022 annual coroner’s report that she believes gun violence should be approached as a public health issue.
“When gun violence is viewed as a public health issue, responsible, safe and legal gun ownership is what’s desired; and everyone can agree that our children and community members deserve to be able to to go school, church, the grocery store or the movies without fear of dying violently,” she wrote.
During a phone interview on Wednesday, Gay said she has received responses from people who believe that she wants to take away guns. That’s not the case. She has friends and family members who are responsible gun owners.
She suggests looking for solutions to these traumatic deaths, which include both homicides and suicides. Improving mental health services would be one way. She also thinks a better job needs to be done in limiting access to weapons for people who are in an emotional crisis or are distraught.
Her office investigated 28 homicides that occurred in York County in 2022, one the highest numbers ever. It included the death of Erin Walker, a Central York High School teacher who was killed by her neighbor over a dispute about a shed. The neighbor took his own life.
Gay’s office also investigated 67 suicides that occurred in York County last year. Suicides ranked third in leading traumatic deaths in York County, the report states. Groups such as Suicide Prevention of York and Aevidum have been working to reverse the increasing number of deaths nationwide.
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Most of the deaths in both homicides and suicides were gun-related, the report shows.
Gay also noted, when looking at the data on homicides and suicides from last year, the majority of these traumatic deaths occurred in the suburban and rural areas of the county.
The coroner’s office sees an average of 40 to 60 traumatic homicide and suicide deaths each year as a result of gun violence, she wrote in the report.
Years ago, doctors had suggested approching gun violence as a public health epidemic, but they were met with resistance.
” …we’re doing the same thing, and nothing’s changing when it comes to this violence,” she said. “… I know that we’ll never eradicate gun violence, but I sure think we can do a little better to try and improve and minimize it.”
Here’s a look at what else the report shows:
Fall-related deaths remain a concern despite progress
Fall-related deaths remain the No. 1 cause of traumatic death investigated by the coroner in York County, but Gay noted that the area is seeing some progress in prevention.
Records show that 146 people died in the county in 2022 after sustaining a fall here. That’s down from 161 the previous year.
“…we are seeing some progress for the first time in years,” Gay wrote in the report. “That is a good thing! This type of death is highly preventable, and a lot of good people have been working hard to reverse that trend.”
These types of deaths often stem from severe injuries sustained in a fall, such as hip and leg fractures or a traumatic brain bleed, the report states. Older adults tend to have difficulty recovering or develop complications from being less active.
The coroner’s office is part of the Falls Free Coalition of York County, which provides education on how to make homes and businesses safer. For more information, visit fallsfreeyork.org.
Alcohol and drug-related overdose deaths rank second
Gay reported a decrease last year in accidental overdose deaths related to drugs, such as heroin/fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine, as compared with the previous year.
The report shows the following:
- 16 percent decrease in heroin/fentanyl-related overdoses
- 42 percent decrease in methamphetamine-related overdoses
- 26 percent decrease in cocaine-related overdoses
- 40 percent decrease in people dying with prescription drugs in their system.
Gay said she’s not sure why the numbers have decreased, but she hopes it continues.
“I like to think that there’s a lot of people who are working hard to make that happen,” she said.
A newer concern, she said, is the number of acute alcohol-related deaths. It has increased 36 percent since 2021.
These are individuals who have chronic alcoholism and experience an episode of alcohol toxicity on top of that, leading to their death. Some people in their 30s and 40s are dying of it, she said during the interview.
In the report, she added that her numbers would not include natural deaths from chronic alcoholism, which also have been on the rise. She noted that a physician can certify these deaths and her office is not always made aware of them.