All We Want Is Revenge: How Social Media Fuels Gun Violence Among Teens

Published

2 years ago

August 28, 2023

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This story also ran on NPR. It can be republished for free.

Juan Campos has been working to save at-risk teens from gun violence for 16 years.

As a street outreach worker in Oakland, California, he has seen the pull and power of gangs. And he offers teens support when theyve emerged from the juvenile justice system, advocates for them in school, and, if needed, helps them find housing, mental health services, and treatment for substance abuse. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

But, he said, hes never confronted a force as formidable as social media, where small boasts and disputes online can escalate into deadly violence in schoolyards and on street corners.

Teens post photos or videos of themselves with guns and stacks of cash, sometimes calling out rivals, on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. When messages go viral, fueled by likes and comments, the danger is hard to contain, Campos said.

Its hundreds of people on social media, versus just one or two people trying to guide youth in a positive way, he said. Sometimes his warnings are stark, telling kids, I want to keep you alive. But, he said, it doesnt work all the time.

Shamari Martin Jr. was an outgoing 14-year-old and respectful to his teachers in Oakland. Mixed in with videos of smiling friends on his Instagram feed were images of Shamari casually waving a gun or with cash fanned across his face. In March 2022, he was shot when the car he was in took a hail of bullets. His body was left on the street, and emergency medical workers pronounced him dead at the scene. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

In Shamaris neighborhood, kids join gangs when theyre as young as 9 or 10, sometimes carrying guns to elementary school, said Tonyia “Nina” Carter, a violence interrupter who knew Shamari and works with Youth Alive, which tries to prevent violence. Shamari was somewhat affiliated with that culture of gangs and guns, Carter said.

Shamaris friends poured out their grief on Instagram with broken-heart emojis and comments such as “love you brother I’m heart hurt.”

One post was more ominous: “it’s blood inna water all we want is revenge.” Rivals posted videos of themselves kicking over flowers and candles at Shamaris memorial.

Such online outpourings of grief often presage additional violence, said Desmond Patton, a University of Pennsylvania professor who studies social media and firearm violence. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

More than a year later, Shamaris death remains unsolved. But it’s still a volatile subject in Oakland, said Bernice Grisby, a counselor at the East Bay Asian Youth Center, who works with gang-involved youth.

“There’s still a lot of gang violence going on around his name,” she said. “It could be as simple as someone saying, ‘Forget him or F him’ that can be a death sentence. Just being affiliated with his name in any sort can get you killed.”

The U.S. surgeon general last month issued a call to action about social medias corrosive effects on child and adolescent mental health, warning of the profound risk of harm to young people, who can spend hours a day on their phones. The 25-page report highlighted the risks of cyberbullying and sexual exploitation. It failed to mention social medias role in escalating gun violence.

Acutely aware of that role are researchers, community leaders, and police across the country including in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. They describe social media as a relentless driver of gun violence. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

Michel Moore, the Los Angeles police chief, called its impact dramatic.

What used to be communicated on the street or in graffiti or tagging or rumors from one person to another, its now being distributed and amplified on social media, he said. Its meant to embarrass and humiliate others.

Many disputes stem from perceived disrespect among insecure young adults who may lack impulse control and conflict-management skills, said LJ Punch, a trauma surgeon and director of the Bullet-Related Injury Clinic in St. Louis.

Social media is an extremely powerful tool for metastasizing disrespect, Punch said. And of all the causes of gun violence, social media-fueled grudges are the most impenetrable. Email Sign-Up

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Calls for Regulation

Social media companies are protected by a 1996 law that shields them from liability for content posted on their platforms. Yet the deaths of young people have led to calls to change that. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

When you allow a video that leads to a shooting, you bear responsibility for what you put out there, said Fred Fogg, national director of violence prevention for Youth Advocate Programs, a group that provides alternatives to youth incarceration. Social media is addictive, and intentionally so.

People note that social media can have a particularly pernicious effect in communities with high rates of gun violence.

Social media companies need to be better regulated in order to make sure they arent encouraging violence in Black communities, said Jabari Evans, an assistant professor of race and media at the University of South Carolina. But he said social media companies also should help dismantle the structural racism that places many Black youth in circumstances that resign them to want to join gangs, carry guns to school, or take on violent personas for attention.

L.A.s Moore described social media companies as serving in a reactionary role. They are profit-driven. They dont want to have any type of control or restrictions that would suppress advertising.

Social media companies say they remove content that violates their policies against threatening others or encouraging violence as quickly as possible. In a statement, YouTube spokesperson Jack Malon said the company prohibits content reveling in or mocking the death or serious injury of an identifiable individual. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

Social media companies said they act to protect the safety of their users, especially children.

Rachel Hamrick, a spokesperson for Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the company has spent about $16 billion in the past seven years to protect the safety of people who post on its apps, employing 40,000 people at Facebook who work on safety and security.

We remove content, disable accounts and work with law enforcement when we believe there is a genuine risk of physical harm or direct threats to public safety, Hamrick said. As a company, we have every commercial and moral incentive to try to give the maximum number of people as much of a positive experience as possible on Facebook. Thats why we take steps to keep people safe even if it impacts our bottom line.

Meta platforms generated revenue of over $116 billion in 2022, most of which came from advertising.

A spokesperson for Snapchat, Pete Boogaard, said the company deletes violent content within minutes of being notified of it. But, Fogg noted, by the time a video is removed, hundreds of people may have seen it. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

Even critics acknowledge that the sheer volume of content on social media is difficult to control. Facebook has nearly 3 billion monthly users worldwide; YouTube has nearly 2.7 billion users; Instagram has 2 billion. If a company shuts down one account, a person can simply open a new one, said Tara Dabney, a director at the Institute for Nonviolence Chicago.

Things could be going great in a community, Fogg said, and then the next thing you know, something happens on social media and folks are shooting at each other.

Playing With Fire

At a time when virtually every teen has a cellphone, many have access to guns, and many are coping with mental and emotional health crises, some say its not surprising that violence features so heavily in childrens social media feeds.

High school fight pges are now common on social media, and teens are quick to record and share fights as soon as they break out.

Social media puts everything on steroids, said the Rev. Cornell Jones, the group violence intervention coordinator for Pittsburgh. (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

Like adults, many young people feel validated when their posts are liked and shared, Jones said.

We are dealing with young people who dont have great self-esteem, and this love they are getting on social media can fill some of that void, Jones said. But it can end with them getting shot or going to the penitentiary.

While many of todays teens are technologically sophisticated skilled at filming and editing professional-looking videos they remain naive about the consequences of posting violent content, said Evans, of the University of South Carolina.

Police in Los Angeles now monitor social media for early signs of trouble, Moore said. Police also search social media after the fact to gather evidence against those involved in violence.

People want to gain notoriety, Moore said, but theyre clearly implicating themselves and giving us an easy path to bring them to justice.

In February, New Jersey police used a video of a 14-year-old girls vicious school beating to file criminal charges against four teens. The victim of the assault, Adriana Kuch, died by suicide two days after the video went viral.

Preventing the Next Tragedy (Oona Tempest/KFF Health News)

Glen Upshaw, who manages outreach workers at Youth Alive in Oakland, said he encourages teens to express their anger with him rather than on social media. He absorbs it, he said, to help prevent kids from doing something foolish.

Ive always offered youth the chance to call me and curse me out, Upshaw said. They can come and scream and I wont fuss at them.

Workers at Youth Advocate Programs monitor influential social media accounts in their communities to de-escalate conflicts. The idea is to get on it as soon as possible, Fogg said. We dont want people to die over a social media post.

Its sometimes impossible, Campos said. You cant tell them to delete their social media accounts, he said. Even a judge wont tell them that. But I can tell them, If I were you, since youre on probation, I wouldnt be posting those kinds of things.

When he first worked with teens at high risk of violence, I said if I can save 10 lives out of 100, Id be happy, Campos said. Now, if I can save one life out of 100, Im happy.

For an illustrated version of this article, click here.

Liz Szabo: lszabo@kff.org, @LizSzabo Related Topics Mental Health Multimedia Public Health Children's Health Guns Contact Us Submit a Story Tip

UK

Fresh weather warnings issued as parts of UK threatened with blizzard conditions

Published

45 mins ago

November 20, 2025

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Fresh weather warnings issued as parts of UK threatened with blizzard conditions

Fresh yellow weather warnings for ice have been issued for many areas of the UK, as some areas are threatened with blizzard conditions on Thursday.

An amber warning for snow – covering northeast England, including Scarborough, Whitby and parts south of Middlesbrough – is in force until 9pm on Thursday.

UK weather latest: Blizzard warning for amber area

The Met Office said there could be “significant snow accumulations” over the North York Moors and parts of the Yorkshire Wolds with up to 25cm (10ins) on hills above 100m (330ft).

“Gusty winds, giving occasional blizzard conditions, and perhaps a few lightning strikes, may accompany some of the showers, posing as additional hazards,” the warning added.

Some A-roads in North Yorkshire were reported to be “gridlocked”, according to Shingi Mararike, Sky News’ North of England correspondent, but he added gritters are out to deal with the bad weather.

Snow ploughs have been hard at work on the North York Moors and a thick coat of snow is covering the A169 between Pickering and Whitby.

Dozens of schools have been closed in North Yorkshire and Scotland.

A number of yellow warnings are also in force for snow and/or ice across large parts of Britain.

In many of the warnings issued by the Met Office, there are concerns that where “showers persist and/or snow partially thaws and then refreezes overnight, this will bring a risk of ice”.

Jo Wheeler, Sky’s weather presenter, said clear skies will allow temperatures to tumble again as Thursday night approaches, “with an early and severe frost expected, and the associated risk of icy stretches on untreated roads and pavements”.

Coldest night so far

Overnight Wednesday into Thursday was the coldest of the season so far, according to the Met Office.

Temperatures dropped as low as -6.6C (20F) in Benson, Oxfordshire. There were two -6.4C (20F) temperatures recorded in Wales (in Sennybrigde) and in Scotland (Dundreggan).

While in Northern Ireland it fell to -2.8C (27F) in Altnahinch Filters.

Cold health alerts in force

As well as the one amber weather warning covering parts of the UK, there are two amber health alerts in place in three areas of England from the UK’s Health Security Agency.

An amber health alert is designed to prepare health services, including for the potential for a rise in deaths among the over-65s and people with health conditions.

The alerts are in effect in North East and North West England, along with the Yorkshire and the Humber region until 8am on 22 November.

Yellow cold-health alerts are in place for the rest of England and also expire at the same point.

Walk like a penguin

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is recommending that people should walk like penguins to avoid dangerous slips and trips on icy surfaces.

The technique, which went viral in previous winters, is back for 2025 as part of the health board’s winter campaign.

Laura Halcrow, falls prevention lead at NHSGGC, said: “It might look funny, but waddling really works. A slip on ice can cause painful injuries and even hospital stays, especially for older people.”

Turning wet and windy

Sky’s weather presenter, Jo Wheeler, adds that the forecast is set to change this weekend.

“We’ll trade the cold sunshine and wintry showers for wet and windy conditions with rain turning heavy as it crosses the country on Saturday.”

“The British weather, fickle as always, looks like delivering a brief change to this milder westerly flow followed by an equally quick change back to a chilly northerly flow.”

Environment

Power through winter with a Yarbo snow blower robot – Save big this Black Friday!

Published

49 mins ago

November 20, 2025

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Power through winter with a Yarbo snow blower robot – Save big this Black Friday!

If you want to ditch snow blowing and shoveling forever, Yarbo’s got just the solution. The robotics company that took home a 2023 CES Innovation Award is redefining what it means to have a “smart yard” in all four seasons. Yarbo’s autonomous outdoor robots use advanced sensors, cameras, and algorithms to do the heavy lifting – literally. From snow blowing to mowing to leaf clearing, these machines handle tough jobs with precision, safety, and zero supervision.

Yarbo’s innovative “1+N” design is centered around one core unit (“1”) that can be expanded with multiple modular attachments (“N”) to meet a variety of yard care needs. This design allows users to save space and cost by owning a single core robot instead of multiple separate machines. Customize functionality by adding modules such as Lawn Mower, Snow Blower, Plow Blade, Cutting Disc, and more. Easily upgrade or adapt to different seasons and tasks without replacing the entire system.

And right now, you can snag a fantastic discount of up to $1,200 at Yarbo’s biggest sale of the year. Check out the official Black Friday launch deals below – you won’t want to miss these!

❄️ Yarbo Snow Blower: The robot that eats snow for breakfast

Yarbo has you covered this winter with the only fully autonomous, 24/7 snow blower on the market, featuring smart scheduling that clears your driveway and sidewalks automatically – with zero human intervention. Once you’ve drawn the areas you want cleared in the app, it requires zero human intervention. The Yarbo 2-stage Snow Blower remembers your layout, wakes up on its own as soon as the flakes fall, and tackles dry, wet, and packed snow with ease.

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Its 38.4 Ah lithium battery clears up to 6,000 square feet of light snow (or 2,000 square feet of heavy snow) per charge. When the battery drops below 20%, the snow blower robot automatically returns to the charging dock to recharge in just over an hour, and then picks up where it left off. This prevents snow buildup with 24/7 autonomous clearing and recharging.

This robot is rugged. With a 12-inch intake, 24-inch clearing width, 40-foot throwing distance, and a rugged 200+ lb track drive with traction spikes, deep-bite tread, and anti-slip control, the Yarbo Snow Blower clears deep snow in layers and grips icy slopes and gravel like a pro. It can even raise its intake to glide over uneven terrain. With a Q355 steel frame, it’s tough enough for -13°F winters and has an IPX5 waterproof rating for use in wet conditions. It can also clear some serious footage – 6,000 square feet, to be exact.

If heavy, wet snow falls, attach the snow blade to push through it. If the snow is packed, then the two-stage intake breaks it up and clears it in passes. And if powder is coming down, then a 6- to 40-foot throw keeps the drive clear.

In short: You stay inside with cocoa, while the Yarbo Snow Blower clears the storm.

And here’s the good news: From November 20 to December 1, the Yarbo Snow Blower is $700 off.

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🌿 Yarbo Lawn Mower: A perfectly cut lawn, hands-free

When spring and summer roll around, the Yarbo Lawn Mower makes traditional mowing look like ancient history. With dual 20-inch cutting discs and up to 210 minutes of runtime per charge, it covers up to six acres.

It uses binocular cameras, ultrasonic radar, and bumper sensors to dodge obstacles and mow right to the edge. Define up to 150 zones in the app to customize cutting heights and schedules for each part of your yard. The Yarbo Lawn Mower Pro glides smoothly over various terrains while maintaining a consistent cut. Set it once, and it takes care of your lawn for the season.

If you purchase a Yarbo Snow Blower, you get a free Yarbo Lawn Mower during the Black Friday sale!

🍂 Yarbo Blower: Meet your all-season cleanup crew

The Yarbo Blower isn’t just for autumn leaves; it’s for all-around yard cleanup. Its 21-newton blowing force means this robot can clear driveways, yard waste piles, help with post-project cleanup, and can even remove light snow.

Powered by RTK-GPS, Stereo Vision, and ODOM navigation tech via app activation or remote control, it moves precisely even under trees or around tricky terrain. You can track the Yarbo Blower in real time with GPS, set geofences, and control it from the Yarbo app. It’s as close to a self-thinking yard assistant as it gets.

From November 20 to December 1, the Yarbo Blower is $1,000 off.

A smarter winter starts with Yarbo on Black Friday

Yarbo’s lineup isn’t just about robots – it’s about giving you your precious time back. Whether clearing snow before your morning commute, mowing a picture-perfect lawn, or keeping your property spotless, Yarbo’s robots handle it all without supervision.

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UK

Liam McDermid: Man who used metal detector in hunt for hidden gun in Edinburgh during gang war jailed

Published

2 hours ago

November 20, 2025

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Liam McDermid: Man who used metal detector in hunt for hidden gun in Edinburgh during gang war jailed

A man who used a metal detector to try to find a hidden handgun has been jailed for more than six years.

Liam McDermid, 25, admitted his involvement in serious organised crime after being spotted by a police surveillance operation while searching for the firearm in undergrowth in Edinburgh.

This is the first prosecution under Police Scotland’s Operation Portaledge, which was launched in response to gang violence that blighted the east and west of the country earlier this year.

Judge Lord Arthurson told McDermid only a “significant custodial disposal” would be appropriate in the case.

In his sentencing statement, the judge said: “The public interest in suppressing and punishing such serious organised criminal activity is extremely high, particularly so when, as in this case, lethal weapons are involved.

“The citizens of Edinburgh have been understandably and indeed rightly concerned by the recent upsurge in such criminality in their communities.

“In these exceptional circumstances, there requires accordingly, in my view, to be some degree of exemplary component in respect of the sentence to be imposed upon you today.

“This offence was planned and coordinated, and had clear links to serious and organised criminal activities.”

A court earlier heard how McDermid was observed by police surveillance officers getting a taxi to Edinburgh’s Roseburn Street on 5 June.

After visiting a shop, he was watched as he made his way to the Roseburn Path area of the Scottish capital.

Roseburn Path is a former railway line surrounded by dense shrubland and trees, and now serves as a popular walking and cycling route.

McDermid disappeared from view before emerging from the bushes with his face covered and with a metal detector.

He ditched the device after being unable to find the gun and was seen speaking on a black iPhone.

Officers swooped in to detain McDermid, and he was found to have gloves, a balaclava, and £320 in his possession.

Analysis of his mobile phone found he had carried out Google searches on how to use a metal detector, and text messages sent to another person included him saying he was going to “Gorgie to find that thing for him”.

The metal detector was recovered by officers, and a few days later, on 11 June, officers found the firearm and a magazine containing 10 rounds of 9mm bullets.

Lord Arthurson noted how the potentially lethal weapon was discovered during term time near to a nursery and junior buildings of a school.

McDermid last month pleaded guilty to a charge of being involved in serious organised crime. He returned to the High Court in Edinburgh for sentencing on Thursday.

Lord Arthurson highlighted the criminal’s lengthy record and noted how he was the subject of a restriction of liberty order (RLO) at the time of the gun incident.

Despite multiple convictions, up until now, he had never served a custodial sentence.

The judge noted the defendant’s history of cocaine misuse and adverse childhood experiences, adding: “You have a misplaced sense of loyalty to your criminal peers.”

McDermid, who was said to have expressed remorse for his offending, was jailed for six years and nine months.

More than 60 people have been arrested as part of Operation Portaledge, with the criminal activity including properties firebombed and shots fired in the nation’s streets.

Detective Chief Superintendent Dave Ferry said the recovery of the gun formed part of a “long and incredibly complex investigation”.

He added: “Liam McDermid is now facing the consequences of his actions.

“I hope this sentence sends a message to those involved in serious criminality that we remain determined to bring you to justice.”