https://madamenoire.com/1092227/police-killings-are-a-leading-cause-of-death-among-men-especially-black-males/

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A new study from researchers at Rutgers University-Newark, highlights the overarching impact excessive use of force has on the male population in the United States, particularly when it comes to Black males.

The viral and visual deaths of Black males like Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Laquan McDonald, Michael Brown, and many others, has continued to shine light on a devastating truth Black communities and communities of color know all to well.

The research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed that “1 in 1000 Black men can expect to be killed by police.” Black men are two-and-a-half times more likely to be killed by law enforcement over their lifetime than white men.

The study reveals that choke holds, use of a chemical agent, a weapon, and other uses of force by cops are the sixth-highest cause of death for males between the ages of 25 and 25. Pointing to the heartbreaking marker that many Black males adhere to, after being continuously told that they won’t make it to reach age 25.

Researchers also pointed out the disproportionate rate for African-American women, American Indian/Alaska native communities and Latino men, who all face a higher risk of dying at the hands of police officers who use excessive force.

The threat of death for all he above mentioned groups is highest between 20 and 35 but declines with age.

Researchers used data compiled from the National Vital Statistic System’s mortality files and by Fatal encounters, a database ran by journalists who document police-involved deaths through the use of public data and media coverage.

According to the study’s researcher’s the numbers “may be an undercount.”

The study suggests that local municipalities do more to create social welfare and public health programs. But most importantly the study recommends that police officers restrict the use of armed officers in the midst of crisis situations, which include wellness checks.

“There’s clear evidence that shows the harmful and distinct ways police violence expands inequality,”  said Frank Edwards, the lead researcher of the study and an assistant professor at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University in a statement to NBC News. “Policing plays a key role in maintaining structural inequalities between people of color and white people in the United States.”