Youth Gun Deaths on the Rise, Even as Cleveland Shootings Fall
A tragic event unfolded on a typical Tuesday afternoon at the Shaker Heights Public Library, where high school students gathered to read, study, and hang out. A dispute between two teenagers escalated from shoving to gunfire. By the time it was over, 18-year-old Charles Lee Shanklin was dead, and a 15-year-old had been arrested for murder, charged with carrying a concealed weapon among other offenses.
This incident underscores a larger, deeply troubling trend in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, where youth gun violence remains alarmingly high despite an overall drop in shootings and homicides since 2021. Children and teenagers are still disproportionately affected, with youth firearm deaths in the county having more than tripled since 2010. In 2023 alone, 37 individuals under 18 were killed by guns, and 41 children were charged with homicide, matching the county’s all-time high.
Cuyahoga County’s youth firearm homicide rate stands out even among similar regions, averaging 17 deaths per 100,000 residents between 2020 and 2023, more than 30% higher than rates in counties like Allegheny (PA), Franklin (OH), and Wayne (MI), which includes Detroit. In Cleveland, which accounts for about 75% of the county’s homicides, over 80% of those killings involve firearms. The affected children are overwhelmingly Black males, while Black residents make up 47% of Cleveland’s population, they represent nearly 85% of its gunshot violence.
Much of the violence is concentrated in historically under-resourced, predominantly Black neighborhoods like East Cleveland, Garfield Heights, and the Central District. These are areas shaped by generations of disinvestment, redlining, and economic hardship. For many young people growing up in these environments, the threat of gun violence is a constant companion.
“Every week it seems like someone I know gets killed,” said 17-year-old Delano Griffin of East Cleveland. “You just never feel safe.”
Activists and local leaders say the roots of the crisis are complex, but poverty is a major factor. Cleveland has the highest child poverty rate of any U.S. city, with over 300,000 residents, 45% of children, live in poverty. That kind of economic instability leaves young people vulnerable to street activity and violence.
“A lot of the actions and the choices they’re making are because of the unmet needs of somebody that’s caring for them,” said Myesha Watkins of the Cleveland Peacemakers Alliance, an intervention group focused on helping youth. Peer pressure, a lack of opportunities, and limited access to mental health services or job training only make things worse.
City officials have begun responding. In 2023, Mayor Justin Bibb announced a $10 million Neighborhood Safety Fund using federal American Rescue Plan money. Of that, $2 million has been distributed among 44 organizations. Cleveland was also awarded a $2 million federal grant to launch “Cleveland Thrive,” a coalition aimed at preventing violence through collaboration and training. While these efforts mark progress, many activists say they’re not enough.
Richard Starr, a City Council member representing Central and other hard-hit areas, is pushing for Cleveland to declare gun violence a public health crisis. Doing so could unlock additional federal funding for a centralized Office of Violence Prevention. Yet for many community organizations, the issue isn’t just about funding, it’s about sustainability and unity. Right now, many groups are forced to compete for limited resources and often work in silos.
Demetrius Williams, who runs Beat The Streets Cleveland, a youth mentorship and wrestling program, emphasized the need for cooperation among organizations. “The youth are not dumb,” he said. “When they see us beefing within ourselves, it’s a problem.”
Griffin, the 17-year-old from Garfield Heights, echoed that sentiment. While he’s grateful for anyone trying to help, he said many young people simply aren’t aware of the resources available to them. “They shouldn’t forget about us,” he said. “We live in this city, too.”
