New findings by the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health study indicate emotional distress and substance abuse are risk factors for involvement with weapons. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, M.D. R' 14, assistant professor of psychiatry, OHSU School of Medicine, and executive director of the Avel Gordly Center for Healing, commented on these findings to MedPage Today: 

"I get very concerned about the political conversation when you start talking about risk factors for people of color, violence and guns, because it speaks to the myth that if you're black or Latino, you're inherently violent," said Moreland..."The larger discussion needs to be around social determinants of health – around poverty, around trauma, around education..."