New CDC data reveals homicide as leading cause of death for US teens

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that homicide was the second leading cause of death for 15-19 year olds in 2022, with 21.8% of deaths in this age group attributed to homicide. Homicide also ranked third among deaths for toddlers aged 1-4 and adults aged 20-34. It was the fourth leading cause for children aged 5-14, but did not appear among the top ten causes for those over 55. The report highlights rising suicide rates among young people, with suicide becoming the second leading cause of death for those aged 25-44. Homicide was notably a frequent cause of death only among Black Americans across all age groups.