In the autumn of 2020, tragedy struck when Jarell Jackson and Shahjahan McCaskill, childhood friends, were shot and killed in Jackson’s car. These two 26-year-old men had just returned from a thrilling vacation in Puerto Rico. The motive behind their murders seemed senseless to McCaskill’s mother. Both men had defied the odds for young Black men in their neighborhood by graduating from college and establishing successful careers. McCaskill’s mother initially believed that a former employee of McCaskill’s cleaning business may have been responsible for the attack. However, the truth was revealed by the police: the friends were victims of a social media feud between rival groups of teenagers.
For months, tensions had been escalating on Instagram between these rival groups on either side of Market Street. The police had been monitoring the social media activity of these groups due to their history of violence. It was determined that the shooters had mistaken one of the friends for a rival gang member and opened fire. The senseless act was further fueled when, just an hour after the shooting, a member of the rival group posted a photo on Instagram, mocking the victims and taunting their rival crew.
The deaths of Jackson and McCaskill were just the beginning of a disturbing trend of increased violence that has swept across the nation. In 2020, homicides skyrocketed by 30%, and this alarming rate has persisted for the past two years. While there are indications that the 2023 rate may decrease by more than 10% from the previous year, it is still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Numerous factors have contributed to this surge in violence, including the disruptions caused by COVID-19, an increase in gun sales during the pandemic, and the aftermath of the George Floyd murder, which led to decreased police activity and a diminished trust in law enforcement. However, my investigation into this wave of violence consistently revealed another major catalyst: social media.
Those working in violence prevention have witnessed feuds that begin online and quickly escalate into real-life conflicts. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat have become battlegrounds where rivalries are intensified and threats are exchanged. The widespread nature of these conflicts is unprecedented—what used to be limited to a small group of individuals has now become a spectacle witnessed by hundreds, even before the participants have left the scene. James Timpson, a violence prevention worker in Baltimore, aptly describes it as “this big war going on.”
While smartphones and social media have been around for some time, their influence on the recent surge in violence cannot be denied. The closure of schools, libraries, and recreational centers during the pandemic pushed people, especially young individuals, even deeper into the virtual world. The potential links between heavy social media use and mental health issues and suicide among teenagers have been extensively discussed. Now, violence prevention workers are raising concerns about the role of social media in not only self-harm but also in acts of harm towards others.
The current spike in violence is not a return to the high murder rates of the 1990s, but rather a new phenomenon. The violence has disproportionately affected young individuals in many cities. The homicide rate for 15-to-19-year-olds has surged by a staggering 91% from 2014 to 2021 nationwide. In cities like Washington, D.C., the number of shootings involving individuals under 18 nearly doubled from the previous year. Similarly, Philadelphia witnessed a significant increase in youth shooting victims in just the first nine months of 2022 compared to previous years. These alarming statistics highlight the stark racial disparities, with young Black people being nearly 14 times more likely to become homicide victims than their white counterparts.
Law enforcement, prosecutors, and intervention workers are united in their belief that social media plays a significant role in the rising number of young victims. However, they are struggling to find effective solutions to combat this issue. The question remains: how can we address this new wave of violence fueled by online instigation?
While much attention has been given to online incitement through rap videos, particularly those featuring drill music, the reality is that conflicts are often sparked by seemingly mundane activities on social media. Rival teenagers bait each other on Instagram, goaded by allies in private chats. Livestreaming confrontations and challenging opponents to reveal their locations have become common. Pictures and videos brandishing weapons are shared, goading others to respond and potentially escalating the situation.
In December, I had the opportunity to speak with Brandon Olivieri, a young man serving time for murder in Pennsylvania. Olivieri shared his experience of how a petty argument escalated online, ultimately resulting in a fatal shooting. He acknowledged that he and his friends often used online platforms to hype each other up with boasts and threats. This behavior, which he referred to as “pump-faking,” created a dangerous environment where actions were taken to maintain a perceived gangster reputation.
Last year, as the number of juvenile shooting victims in Washington, D.C. continued to rise, the city’s Peace Academy organized a session focused on social media. Participants discussed the influence of online threats and how they contribute to real-life violence. It is evident that social media has become a catalyst for conflicts among young people, leading to tragic consequences.
Addressing this issue requires innovative solutions. The traditional approaches used to combat violence are no longer effective in the face of this new wave. It is crucial for law enforcement, community organizations, and social media platforms to collaborate and develop strategies that address the harmful impact of online instigation. Monitoring social media activities, improving education on responsible online behavior, and providing resources for conflict resolution are potential avenues for intervention. By taking proactive measures and acknowledging the role of social media, we can begin to reduce the alarming rise in violence among our youth.
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