Over the course of about six months, researchers interviewed 103 young people, mostly young men, who said they’d carried a gun within the previous year. Reasons ranged from concerns about police, protection from others and involvement in street hustles — but they mostly shared a common theme: the fear of dying.

The data and interviews were compiled into a study, funded by the Center for Justice Innovation and exclusively previewed by Gothamist, called “Two Battlefields: ‘Opps,’ Cops, and New York City Youth Gun Culture.”

The organizers say they’re hopeful the perspectives they uncovered can change major narratives around crime, gangs, gun violence and safety, better informing the politicians and agencies that respond to these patterns.

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