The proliferation and misuse of firearms continues to take an onerous toll on Colombia, particularly in urban conglomerations. Yet amongst the victims of gun violence, one in particular is often overlooked: he or she hit by the stray bullet. Though blind, stray bullets disproportionately affect the innocent. Adding a cruel insult to injury, they are the most unjust form of gun violence in the country.
Following media reports and social networks, CERAC has been monitoring the incidence of stray bullets in Colombia for some time. The following pages report its most recent findings, some of whose major points lie below:
- Stray bullets continue to destroy lives: in 2013 alone there were 95 victims, 32 of whom were fatal
- 2013 saw a 59% decrease in deaths from stray bullets on the previous year, compared with a 1.6% increase in overall homicides through September 2013 on the first 9 months in 2012
- An increasingly random pattern: women and children are a larger percentage of victims each year. In 2013, 55 victims were under 18 and 47 were women
- Urban disputes amongst organized criminal groups and youth gangs continue to be the primary context in which stray bullets take lives
- Criminal investigations and conviction rates continue to be extremely low
