INDIANAPOLIS – More than 30,000 gun deaths occur every year in the United States and firearms are the second leading method resulting in injury death, behind motor vehicle crashes.

Firearm violence and suicide in Indiana are public health issues. People of all ages and races, regardless of income or level of education, are dying needless violent deaths.

For the last decade, the overall firearm related death rate in Indiana has been higher than that of the nation as a whole. Suicide is the second leading cause of injury and death in the state and nearly 60 percent of gun deaths in the state are suicides.

In 2003, there were 197 homicides in Marion County, 95 of which were suicides.

In an effort to reduce suicides and firearm related deaths, the Indiana Partnership to Prevent Violent Injury and Death, in conjunction with Riley Hospital for Children, the Christian Theological Seminary and NAMI Indianapolis (National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) will present a roundtable discussion on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 at Christian Theological Seminary, 1000 W. 42nd Street from 8:30 am – 2:30 pm.

Financial support is provided by Clarian Health Partners.

The roundtable discussions are designed to provide experts in the topic areas to facilitate group discussion and interaction. Discussion topics include: mental illness and the link to suicide, theological perspectives on suicide, issues for survivors of suicide, gang violence, crisis intervention information and adolescent issues associated with suicide. Marion County Coroner Kenneth Ackles, Sr., D.C. and John Linehan, Chief Deputy Coroner will deliver the keynote address.

“Many persons in distress turn to their church for help, and this provides a crucial window of opportunity for the faith leaders to intervene and provide information and resources that could prevent a violent event in that person’s life,” said IPPVID Medical Director Marilyn Bull, MD, a developmental pediatrician at the Indiana University School of Medicine and at Riley Hospital for Children.

“Aside from the numbers of people who are dying from guns, there are about three times as many people injured from guns,” said Bull. “With these injuries and deaths come huge emotional and financial consequences for the families and the community. Victims may sustain a lifetime of physical and emotional debilitation, decreased quality of life and potential loss of income.”