For the third straight year gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

The report found that 2,526 children died from firearms through accidents, homicide or suicide.

The study looked at gun violence statistics from 2022. Since there is a delay in the data that is the most recent information on firearms.

“Gun deaths among kids and teens more than doubled since 2013,” said Cassandra Crifasi, the co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. “About 70% of gun deaths are homicides among this group. It's pretty concerning.”

The study also found that gun violence disproportionately impacts children of color.

“Among Black youth aged one to 17, they have a gun death rate six times higher than their white counterparts, and the gun homicide rate for Hispanic and Latino kids and teens has increased by 70%,” Crifasi said.

Additionally, Black children and teens have a homicide rate 18 times higher than their white counterparts.

Baltimore has seen its fair share of gun violence among children.

In 2023, 12 children were killed by firearms in the city and 392 were injured, according to the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence.

Crifasi said data is the first step to preventing violence.

“Understanding these trends allows to identify what's working,” Crifasi said. “Child access prevention laws or protection orders that might help us limit access to firearms in risky situations, but we first have to understand what the problem is so that we can see if we're making an impact moving forward.”