New visualizations explore the role firearms play in the nation’s suicide rate and rising firearm homicide rate. Data from two government agencies reveals how firearm-related suicides change with age, rates at which people die in active shooter incidents, how firearm homicide rates vary between races, and more. Here is just a preview of what’s available.
- The national homicide rate rose 30% in 2020, the largest single-year rise in more than a century. Firearm homicide rates increased 44% between 2019 and 2021, while homicides by other main causes decreased.
- The firearm homicide rate had decreased from its early 1990s peak of 6.8 victims per 100,000 people. It dipped below 4 per 100,000 in the early 2010s. It’s since returned to 1990s levels. Most victims were killed in an argument. Less than 2% of gun homicides were due to gang violence.
- Active shooter events doubled between 2019 and 2021, but the number of victims dying from these events remained largely unchanged. In 2021, 103 people were killed in active shooter events, accounting for about 0.5% of the homicides reported by the CDC that year.
- In 2021, 48,830 people in the US were killed with a firearm. Fifty-four percent of these deaths were suicides. Overall, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death that year.
- The share of gun-related suicides was smaller for younger people: they accounted for 40% of gun deaths between the ages of 20 and 35. After 45, most gun deaths were suicides. By age 75, 94% of gun deaths were suicides.
- The number of suicides was similar for people in their twenties (4,606 deaths) and fifties (4,056 deaths), though suicide comprised a higher percentage of firearm deaths for older Americans.
Blue states tend to have stricter gun policies than red states. See how that affects firearm homicides. Then, get more facts on firearms and suicides in this article.
If you are thinking about attempting suicide, call 911 or tell someone who can help immediately. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline also has 24-hour, confidential support.
Data behind the news
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It’s time for the next weekly fact quiz!
One last fact
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