Self-described "sophisticated, polite gentleman" and gunman Elliot Rodger orchestrated a killing spree in Isla Vista, California on Friday evening, leaving seven dead, including Rodger, and spreading a wave of grief through the Santa Barbara City College community, as well as the entire country. It's a tragedy that's caused many to consider how this could have been avoided, including the father of 20-year-old Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez, who was shot down by Rodger in a local deli. Michaels-Martinez's father blamed the National Rifle Association and "craven politicians" for the death of his son during a press conference on Saturday afternoon.

"Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris' right to live?! When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say, 'Stop this madness?' We don't have to live like this! Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, 'Not. One. More,'" Richard Martinez said in a televised statement.

Numerous findings and reports indicate that Latinos thoughts on gun control fall somewhat in line with Richard Martinez's, with studies showing that Latinos feel strongly about limiting access to guns and applying stricter gun-violence laws. According to a study conducted by the Black Youth Project in 2012, 69.6 percent of Latino youth believe that it is more important to limit gun access than it is to protect the rights of gun owners. In contrast, a majority of white youth — 52.7 percent — prioritize protecting gun owner's rights over controlling access to weapons.

In part, that's likely sue to the fact that 30.5 percent of black youth and 23.9 percent of Latino youth said gun violence is a "big problem" or at least "somewhat of a problem" in their neighborhoods, compared with 7.4 percent of white youth. Approximately 65.2 percent of Latino youth believe that there should be a ban on semi-automatic weapons.

Numbers indicate that people of color account for a majority of gun-violence victims — and it is one of the leading causes of death for teens of color. Because gun violence is a vicious cycle, those who have been victimized by guns are more likely to take up guns and carry concealed firearms, fueling a continual sequence of deaths in urban neighborhoods across the nation. Gun violence affects the health care system, has societal and legal costs — the annual cost of gun violence is roughly $100 billion a year in America -— and gun injuries disproportionately affect communities of color, which is why nearly half of people of color (49 percent) are in favor of stricter gun-violence prevention.

Approximately 40 percent of U.S. gun sales (more than 6 million) originate from private sellers who require no background checks; this allows for guns to move from dealers into different city neighborhoods. And, even when legality isn't a concern, guns aren't terribly difficult to acquire. According to The Daily Beast, it's takes less time to buy a gun than to apply for food stamps in Arkansas. The three semi-automatic guns used in the "retribution" rampage by Rodgers were bought legally from the Goleta Valley Gun & Supply in Goleta, California. He'd purchased two Sig Sauer P226 semiautomatic pistols and a Glock 34 pistol, along with more than 400 rounds of ammunition.

Related