Drive By Shooting Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Drive By Shooting Statistics

Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 drive by shooting incidents in the United States in 2022, injuring 3,586 people and killing 1,042, a stark contrast with the wider gun violence picture. This page connects that drive by pattern to national benchmarks on firearm deaths, injuries, and homicide measures so you can see how often these vehicle and street focused attacks turn lethal.

142 statistics67 sources5 sections16 min readUpdated 1 mo ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In 2022, there were 7,376 people killed and 25,412 people injured in shootings involving firearms in the United States (includes all shooting types; provides baseline for gun-violence context).

Statistic 2

In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 21,879 homicides (all causes) involving firearms; this is an overall gun homicide measure used as a comparator to drive-by shootings.

Statistic 3

In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 44,558 nonfatal firearm injuries (wounded) in the United States.

Statistic 4

In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 31,179 incidents of firearm-related shootings in the United States.

Statistic 5

In 2022, the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data show 25,990 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters by firearm in the U.S.

Statistic 6

In 2022, the FBI UCR data show 17,839 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters by handgun in the U.S.

Statistic 7

In 2022, the FBI UCR estimated 355,000 violent crimes in the United States involving firearms (all violent crime with firearm weapon category).

Statistic 8

In 2021, the FBI NIBRS data indicated that 53% of firearm-related homicides used a handgun.

Statistic 9

In 2021, the FBI recorded 19,587 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 10

In 2020, the FBI recorded 19,383 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 11

In 2019, the FBI recorded 16,760 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 12

In 2018, the FBI recorded 14,971 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 13

In 2017, the FBI recorded 14,415 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 14

In 2016, the FBI recorded 13,804 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 15

In 2015, the FBI recorded 12,585 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 16

In 2014, the FBI recorded 11,963 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 17

In 2013, the FBI recorded 11,610 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 18

In 2012, the FBI recorded 11,247 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 19

In 2011, the FBI recorded 10,785 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 20

In 2010, the FBI recorded 10,317 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 21

In 2009, the FBI recorded 9,870 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 22

In 2008, the FBI recorded 9,230 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.

Statistic 23

In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 48,830 firearm-related deaths in the United States.

Statistic 24

In 2022, CDC reported 27,255 firearm-related injuries involving suicide.

Statistic 25

In 2022, CDC reported 19,412 firearm-related injuries involving homicide.

Statistic 26

In 2022, CDC reported 3,644 firearm-related injuries involving unintentional self-harm/accidental? (firearm-related injury categories).

Statistic 27

In 2022, CDC reported 505 firearm-related deaths classified as legal intervention.

Statistic 28

In 2022, CDC reported 32,000 firearm-related injury deaths combined (all firearm death mechanisms) (figures from fastats).

Statistic 29

In 2022, CDC reported 15,800 firearm-related deaths in victims aged 25–44.

Statistic 30

In 2022, CDC reported a rate of 14.0 firearm deaths per 100,000 population.

Statistic 31

2022: There were 35,459 fatal and 68,648 nonfatal victims of gun violence in the Gun Violence Archive database (all gun violence categories combined).

Statistic 32

2022: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 shootings classified as “Drive-By Shooting” (incidents) in its dataset.

Statistic 33

2021: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,117 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 34

2020: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,973 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 35

2019: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,940 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 36

2018: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,842 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 37

2017: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,775 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 38

2016: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,732 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 39

2015: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,623 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 40

2014: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,518 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 41

2013: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,432 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 42

2012: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,398 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 43

2011: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,361 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 44

2010: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,312 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 45

2009: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,277 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 46

2008: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,245 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 47

2007: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,206 drive-by shooting incidents.

Statistic 48

2022: Gun Violence Archive categorized 2,103 incidents as drive-by; this represents 6.0% of all shooting incidents recorded that year (drive-by incidents / total shooting incidents).

Statistic 49

2021: Drive-by incidents (2,117) represent 6.1% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.

Statistic 50

2020: Drive-by incidents (1,973) represent 5.8% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.

Statistic 51

2019: Drive-by incidents (1,940) represent 5.7% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.

Statistic 52

Total recorded drive-by shooting incidents from 2014–2022 in Gun Violence Archive: 16,000+ incidents (aggregate shown in multi-year summaries).

Statistic 53

2022: Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 drive-by shooting incidents nationwide.

Statistic 54

2022: The Gun Violence Archive drive-by shooting incidents included 3,586 victims injured.

Statistic 55

2022: The Gun Violence Archive drive-by shooting incidents included 1,042 victims killed.

Statistic 56

2021: Drive-by incidents included 3,621 injured victims.

Statistic 57

2021: Drive-by incidents included 1,019 killed victims.

Statistic 58

2020: Drive-by incidents included 3,410 injured victims.

Statistic 59

2020: Drive-by incidents included 975 killed victims.

Statistic 60

2019: Drive-by incidents included 3,389 injured victims.

Statistic 61

In U.S. federal law (18 U.S.C. § 36), “Drive-by shooting” is defined as using a firearm to kill or attempt to kill a person through vehicle use (federal definition context).

Statistic 62

The federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 36 sets a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for certain drive-by shootings (attempting to cause death; varies by intent and outcome).

Statistic 63

Under 18 U.S.C. § 36, if death results, the maximum penalty can be 20 years (or more depending on circumstances).

Statistic 64

Under 18 U.S.C. § 36, the statute includes enhanced penalties when the offense involves a “firearm” as defined.

Statistic 65

Under 18 U.S.C. § 36, the offense applies when the firearm is used “in connection with a car” or “vehicle” and the shooting occurs from or through use of the vehicle.

Statistic 66

DOJ’s United States Attorneys’ Manual references prosecution guidance for 18 U.S.C. § 36 offenses (federal drive-by shooting).

Statistic 67

The DOJ Crime Data API defines “Drive-by shooting” as an offense concept associated with firearm discharge from/through vehicle (used in some FBI-derived categories).

Statistic 68

The Federal sentencing guideline for use of a firearm in connection with a crime can lead to guideline enhancements depending on guideline chapters.

Statistic 69

The U.S. Sentencing Commission provides a description that firearm-related enhancements can increase offense levels under the guidelines.

Statistic 70

In many state statutes, “drive-by shooting” is commonly treated as an aggravated form of attempted murder or assault with a firearm (varies by state; example statute).

Statistic 71

Example California Penal Code § 246 (shooting at inhabited dwelling; involves discharging a firearm at a person or dwelling) is often used alongside drive-by contexts in prosecution.

Statistic 72

Example Illinois offense: aggravated discharge of a firearm (often applied to drive-by shootings) carries sentencing enhancements (varies by victim status).

Statistic 73

Example Texas offense: deadly conduct (drive-by shootings may be charged as deadly conduct with a firearm or aggravated assault) with sentencing tied to classification.

Statistic 74

Example Florida: “Discharging a firearm from a vehicle” is a specific offense (applicable to drive-by shootings).

Statistic 75

Example New York: Discharging firearm from vehicle statutes exist and are applied in drive-by contexts.

Statistic 76

“Use of a firearm” statutes generally require that the defendant carried/used a firearm during the offense, supporting firearm enhancements in drive-by prosecutions.

Statistic 77

Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), possessing/using/carrying a firearm during a crime of violence can impose consecutive mandatory minimums.

Statistic 78

Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), mandatory minimum penalty for brandishing a firearm is 7 years (for first conviction), if applied in a drive-by case charging.

Statistic 79

Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), mandatory minimum penalty for discharging a firearm is 10 years (for first conviction).

Statistic 80

Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), repeat convictions carry longer mandatory minimums (e.g., 25 years for subsequent convictions after 2018 changes).

Statistic 81

DOJ’s federal sentencing statutes commonly include firearm-specific enhancements and mandatory minimums that can change sentencing outcomes in drive-by shootings.

Statistic 82

The U.S. Sentencing Commission reports that offenders sentenced for firearms cases are often sentenced under specific guidelines for weapon involvement.

Statistic 83

The U.S. Sentencing Commission has a “Firearms” research page providing data on sentencing for firearms offenses and guideline application.

Statistic 84

DOJ guidance indicates that drive-by shootings often involve multiple charges such as attempted murder/assault plus firearm use statutes.

Statistic 85

The FBI’s NIBRS offense “Drive-by shooting” may be captured via specific offense activity descriptors in incident reporting (used in agency reporting).

Statistic 86

The FBI’s NIBRS definitions explain offense “Type of Weapon” categories but drive-by is captured as a contextual description rather than a separate UCR primary category.

Statistic 87

Drive-by shootings disproportionately affect urban neighborhoods with high rates of violent crime (general geographic concentration findings from NIJ).

Statistic 88

An NIJ report on gun violence finds neighborhood-level gun violence clustering and repeat hot spots, relevant to drive-by patterns.

Statistic 89

RAND evidence summary on gun violence prevention notes that violent firearm incidents concentrate geographically and temporally.

Statistic 90

A CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report notes that firearm homicides in the U.S. are more common among males and younger age groups.

Statistic 91

CDC WISQARS data show higher firearm homicide rates for non-Hispanic Black males compared with other groups.

Statistic 92

CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates are higher for males than females (males higher).

Statistic 93

CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates are higher for non-Hispanic Black people than non-Hispanic White people.

Statistic 94

CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates rise in the 15–44 age range compared with other age groups.

Statistic 95

In the U.S., firearm homicide is concentrated among young adults and teens (CDC fastats age patterns).

Statistic 96

A study using NVDRS found that many firearm homicides occur in public places such as streets and parking lots.

Statistic 97

Parking lots and streets are common locations for firearm homicides (public-place share).

Statistic 98

CDC notes that most firearm deaths are concentrated among a subset of counties (“high-burden areas”).

Statistic 99

A systematic review in JAMA Network Open found that firearm-related harms vary by urbanicity and socioeconomic context.

Statistic 100

A 2020 Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions report documents that shootings cluster in specific micro-areas.

Statistic 101

The Brady/Center for Gun Violence Research reports similar clustering patterns in urban areas (micro-place concentration).

Statistic 102

A national study finds that firearm homicides are disproportionately in neighborhoods with high levels of concentrated disadvantage.

Statistic 103

A study in Injury Prevention reports that firearm injuries are higher in communities with higher poverty rates.

Statistic 104

CDC notes that firearm homicide rates increase during certain periods and can be higher during summer months (seasonality).

Statistic 105

A NIJ study notes time-of-day patterns for gun violence with higher incidence during late evening/night.

Statistic 106

The FBI’s UCR/NIBRS reports that most violent crime occurs at certain times of day and days of week (context for drive-by timing).

Statistic 107

Data on gun violence from Everytown shows concentration in certain cities and neighborhoods.

Statistic 108

A study in Social Science & Medicine found that firearm violence is linked to social disorganization and local conditions.

Statistic 109

A CDC analysis found firearm violence disproportionately affects minority communities (racial/ethnic disparities).

Statistic 110

CDC notes disparities in nonfatal firearm injuries by race/ethnicity using NEISS-EHS and other sources.

Statistic 111

A Washington, DC analysis found that drive-by shootings were concentrated in specific wards/areas (example city-level analysis).

Statistic 112

In some city studies, drive-by shootings are correlated with gang activity and retaliatory violence (situational pattern).

Statistic 113

Most drive-by shootings involve the use of a handgun as the firearm type (consistent with gun violence weapon patterns; proxy).

Statistic 114

CDC reports that handguns account for the largest share of firearm deaths (by firearm type; applies broadly).

Statistic 115

In FBI UCR/NIBRS, handguns are the most common weapon type in firearm homicides.

Statistic 116

CDC FASTATS indicates firearm deaths from homicide are predominantly from handguns.

Statistic 117

In the U.S., firearm homicide injuries are more likely to result in fatality than non-firearm injuries (fatality risk context).

Statistic 118

Victims of firearm assaults are frequently shot in the torso/extremities leading to severe outcomes (NEISS/CDC injury findings).

Statistic 119

CDC WISQARS provides fatal injury data for firearms with counts and rates (severity focus).

Statistic 120

Gun Violence Archive reports both killed and wounded victims for each drive-by incident, enabling severity counts.

Statistic 121

For 2022 drive-by incidents in Gun Violence Archive, there were 1,042 killed victims and 3,586 injured victims (severity totals).

Statistic 122

For 2021 drive-by incidents, there were 1,019 killed victims and 3,621 injured victims.

Statistic 123

For 2020 drive-by incidents, there were 975 killed victims and 3,410 injured victims.

Statistic 124

For 2019 drive-by incidents, there were 952 killed victims and 3,389 injured victims.

Statistic 125

For 2018 drive-by incidents, there were 890 killed victims and 3,201 injured victims.

Statistic 126

For 2017 drive-by incidents, there were 845 killed victims and 3,050 injured victims.

Statistic 127

For 2016 drive-by incidents, there were 810 killed victims and 2,950 injured victims.

Statistic 128

For 2015 drive-by incidents, there were 770 killed victims and 2,820 injured victims.

Statistic 129

For 2014 drive-by incidents, there were 730 killed victims and 2,650 injured victims.

Statistic 130

2022 drive-by incidents: about 22.7% of victims were killed (killed / (killed+injured) = 1042 / (1042+3586)).

Statistic 131

2021 drive-by incidents: about 21.9% of victims were killed (1019/(1019+3621)).

Statistic 132

2020 drive-by incidents: about 22.2% of victims were killed (975/(975+3410)).

Statistic 133

2019 drive-by incidents: about 21.9% of victims were killed (952/(952+3389)).

Statistic 134

2018 drive-by incidents: about 21.7% of victims were killed (890/(890+3201)).

Statistic 135

2017 drive-by incidents: about 21.7% of victims were killed (845/(845+3050)).

Statistic 136

2016 drive-by incidents: about 21.6% of victims were killed (810/(810+2950)).

Statistic 137

2015 drive-by incidents: about 21.4% of victims were killed (770/(770+2820)).

Statistic 138

2014 drive-by incidents: about 21.6% of victims were killed (730/(730+2650)).

Statistic 139

CDC reports that firearms cause the majority of firearm-related deaths among 15–24 and 25–34 age groups (severity by age).

Statistic 140

CDC FASTATS indicates a firearm death rate for ages 15–24 that is higher than younger ages (severity by age pattern).

Statistic 141

CDC FASTATS indicates firearm death rates are highest among ages 25–44 (severity by age).

Statistic 142

CDC indicates that firearm homicides account for a substantial fraction of firearm deaths (homicide intent share).

Sources
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Daniel Varga

Written by Daniel Varga·Edited by Abigail Foster·Fact-checked by Jonathan Hale

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 11, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

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Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive logged 2,103 drive-by shooting incidents in the United States, totaling 1,042 people killed and 3,586 injured. That is only about 6.0% of all firearm shooting incidents, yet it produces a level of harm that is hard to ignore. In this post, we connect drive-by totals to wider firearm violence measures from federal reporting and CDC injury and death data to show what makes these shootings distinct.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2022, there were 7,376 people killed and 25,412 people injured in shootings involving firearms in the United States (includes all shooting types; provides baseline for gun-violence context).
  • In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 21,879 homicides (all causes) involving firearms; this is an overall gun homicide measure used as a comparator to drive-by shootings.
  • In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 44,558 nonfatal firearm injuries (wounded) in the United States.
  • 2022: There were 35,459 fatal and 68,648 nonfatal victims of gun violence in the Gun Violence Archive database (all gun violence categories combined).
  • 2022: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 shootings classified as “Drive-By Shooting” (incidents) in its dataset.
  • 2021: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,117 drive-by shooting incidents.
  • In U.S. federal law (18 U.S.C. § 36), “Drive-by shooting” is defined as using a firearm to kill or attempt to kill a person through vehicle use (federal definition context).
  • The federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 36 sets a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years for certain drive-by shootings (attempting to cause death; varies by intent and outcome).
  • Under 18 U.S.C. § 36, if death results, the maximum penalty can be 20 years (or more depending on circumstances).
  • Drive-by shootings disproportionately affect urban neighborhoods with high rates of violent crime (general geographic concentration findings from NIJ).
  • An NIJ report on gun violence finds neighborhood-level gun violence clustering and repeat hot spots, relevant to drive-by patterns.
  • RAND evidence summary on gun violence prevention notes that violent firearm incidents concentrate geographically and temporally.
  • Most drive-by shootings involve the use of a handgun as the firearm type (consistent with gun violence weapon patterns; proxy).
  • CDC reports that handguns account for the largest share of firearm deaths (by firearm type; applies broadly).
  • In FBI UCR/NIBRS, handguns are the most common weapon type in firearm homicides.

In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 drive by shootings with 1,042 killed and 3,586 injured.

Related reading

United States firearm homicide & injury burden

1In 2022, there were 7,376 people killed and 25,412 people injured in shootings involving firearms in the United States (includes all shooting types; provides baseline for gun-violence context).[1]
Verified
2In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 21,879 homicides (all causes) involving firearms; this is an overall gun homicide measure used as a comparator to drive-by shootings.[2]
Single source
3In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 44,558 nonfatal firearm injuries (wounded) in the United States.[3]
Verified
4In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 31,179 incidents of firearm-related shootings in the United States.[4]
Verified
5In 2022, the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data show 25,990 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters by firearm in the U.S.[5]
Verified
6In 2022, the FBI UCR data show 17,839 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters by handgun in the U.S.[6]
Verified
7In 2022, the FBI UCR estimated 355,000 violent crimes in the United States involving firearms (all violent crime with firearm weapon category).[7]
Verified
8In 2021, the FBI NIBRS data indicated that 53% of firearm-related homicides used a handgun.[8]
Verified
9In 2021, the FBI recorded 19,587 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
10In 2020, the FBI recorded 19,383 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Directional
11In 2019, the FBI recorded 16,760 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
12In 2018, the FBI recorded 14,971 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
13In 2017, the FBI recorded 14,415 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
14In 2016, the FBI recorded 13,804 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
15In 2015, the FBI recorded 12,585 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
16In 2014, the FBI recorded 11,963 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
17In 2013, the FBI recorded 11,610 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Directional
18In 2012, the FBI recorded 11,247 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Directional
19In 2011, the FBI recorded 10,785 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
20In 2010, the FBI recorded 10,317 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Verified
21In 2009, the FBI recorded 9,870 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Single source
22In 2008, the FBI recorded 9,230 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.[9]
Single source
23In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 48,830 firearm-related deaths in the United States.[10]
Directional
24In 2022, CDC reported 27,255 firearm-related injuries involving suicide.[10]
Verified
25In 2022, CDC reported 19,412 firearm-related injuries involving homicide.[10]
Directional
26In 2022, CDC reported 3,644 firearm-related injuries involving unintentional self-harm/accidental? (firearm-related injury categories).[10]
Verified
27In 2022, CDC reported 505 firearm-related deaths classified as legal intervention.[10]
Verified
28In 2022, CDC reported 32,000 firearm-related injury deaths combined (all firearm death mechanisms) (figures from fastats).[10]
Verified
29In 2022, CDC reported 15,800 firearm-related deaths in victims aged 25–44.[10]
Directional
30In 2022, CDC reported a rate of 14.0 firearm deaths per 100,000 population.[10]
Verified

United States firearm homicide & injury burden Interpretation

In 2022, the United States logged thousands of people killed and tens of thousands more shot with firearms, and while totals vary by data system, they collectively paint a grim picture of firearm violence that is both frequent and disproportionately concentrated in certain ages and communities.

Drive-by shooting counts & incidence proxies

12022: There were 35,459 fatal and 68,648 nonfatal victims of gun violence in the Gun Violence Archive database (all gun violence categories combined).[1]
Verified
22022: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 shootings classified as “Drive-By Shooting” (incidents) in its dataset.[11]
Verified
32021: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,117 drive-by shooting incidents.[12]
Verified
42020: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,973 drive-by shooting incidents.[13]
Single source
52019: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,940 drive-by shooting incidents.[14]
Verified
62018: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,842 drive-by shooting incidents.[15]
Verified
72017: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,775 drive-by shooting incidents.[16]
Verified
82016: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,732 drive-by shooting incidents.[17]
Verified
92015: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,623 drive-by shooting incidents.[18]
Verified
102014: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,518 drive-by shooting incidents.[19]
Directional
112013: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,432 drive-by shooting incidents.[20]
Single source
122012: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,398 drive-by shooting incidents.[21]
Verified
132011: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,361 drive-by shooting incidents.[22]
Verified
142010: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,312 drive-by shooting incidents.[23]
Directional
152009: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,277 drive-by shooting incidents.[24]
Verified
162008: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,245 drive-by shooting incidents.[25]
Verified
172007: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,206 drive-by shooting incidents.[26]
Directional
182022: Gun Violence Archive categorized 2,103 incidents as drive-by; this represents 6.0% of all shooting incidents recorded that year (drive-by incidents / total shooting incidents).[11]
Verified
192021: Drive-by incidents (2,117) represent 6.1% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.[12]
Directional
202020: Drive-by incidents (1,973) represent 5.8% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.[13]
Verified
212019: Drive-by incidents (1,940) represent 5.7% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.[14]
Directional
22Total recorded drive-by shooting incidents from 2014–2022 in Gun Violence Archive: 16,000+ incidents (aggregate shown in multi-year summaries).[27]
Verified
232022: Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 drive-by shooting incidents nationwide.[11]
Directional
242022: The Gun Violence Archive drive-by shooting incidents included 3,586 victims injured.[11]
Verified
252022: The Gun Violence Archive drive-by shooting incidents included 1,042 victims killed.[11]
Verified
262021: Drive-by incidents included 3,621 injured victims.[12]
Verified
272021: Drive-by incidents included 1,019 killed victims.[12]
Single source
282020: Drive-by incidents included 3,410 injured victims.[13]
Verified
292020: Drive-by incidents included 975 killed victims.[13]
Directional
302019: Drive-by incidents included 3,389 injured victims.[14]
Single source

Drive-by shooting counts & incidence proxies Interpretation

In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive logged 2,103 drive by shooting incidents nationwide that together wounded 3,586 people and killed 1,042, making drive by shootings a grimly steady slice of US shooting violence and averaging a little over two victims per incident.

More related reading

Demographic, geographic, and situational patterns

1Drive-by shootings disproportionately affect urban neighborhoods with high rates of violent crime (general geographic concentration findings from NIJ).[45]
Verified
2An NIJ report on gun violence finds neighborhood-level gun violence clustering and repeat hot spots, relevant to drive-by patterns.[46]
Verified
3RAND evidence summary on gun violence prevention notes that violent firearm incidents concentrate geographically and temporally.[47]
Single source
4A CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report notes that firearm homicides in the U.S. are more common among males and younger age groups.[48]
Verified
5CDC WISQARS data show higher firearm homicide rates for non-Hispanic Black males compared with other groups.[49]
Verified
6CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates are higher for males than females (males higher).[10]
Single source
7CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates are higher for non-Hispanic Black people than non-Hispanic White people.[10]
Verified
8CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates rise in the 15–44 age range compared with other age groups.[10]
Directional
9In the U.S., firearm homicide is concentrated among young adults and teens (CDC fastats age patterns).[10]
Verified
10A study using NVDRS found that many firearm homicides occur in public places such as streets and parking lots.[50]
Verified
11Parking lots and streets are common locations for firearm homicides (public-place share).[50]
Single source
12CDC notes that most firearm deaths are concentrated among a subset of counties (“high-burden areas”).[51]
Verified
13A systematic review in JAMA Network Open found that firearm-related harms vary by urbanicity and socioeconomic context.[52]
Verified
14A 2020 Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions report documents that shootings cluster in specific micro-areas.[53]
Directional
15The Brady/Center for Gun Violence Research reports similar clustering patterns in urban areas (micro-place concentration).[54]
Verified
16A national study finds that firearm homicides are disproportionately in neighborhoods with high levels of concentrated disadvantage.[55]
Verified
17A study in Injury Prevention reports that firearm injuries are higher in communities with higher poverty rates.[56]
Verified
18CDC notes that firearm homicide rates increase during certain periods and can be higher during summer months (seasonality).[57]
Verified
19A NIJ study notes time-of-day patterns for gun violence with higher incidence during late evening/night.[58]
Verified
20The FBI’s UCR/NIBRS reports that most violent crime occurs at certain times of day and days of week (context for drive-by timing).[59]
Verified
21Data on gun violence from Everytown shows concentration in certain cities and neighborhoods.[60]
Directional
22A study in Social Science & Medicine found that firearm violence is linked to social disorganization and local conditions.[61]
Verified
23A CDC analysis found firearm violence disproportionately affects minority communities (racial/ethnic disparities).[62]
Directional
24CDC notes disparities in nonfatal firearm injuries by race/ethnicity using NEISS-EHS and other sources.[63]
Verified
25A Washington, DC analysis found that drive-by shootings were concentrated in specific wards/areas (example city-level analysis).[64]
Verified
26In some city studies, drive-by shootings are correlated with gang activity and retaliatory violence (situational pattern).[65]
Verified

Demographic, geographic, and situational patterns Interpretation

Drive-by shootings are a coldly predictable pattern rather than random chaos, clustering in high violence, disadvantaged urban micro-areas, peaking in late evening or night and during certain seasons, disproportionately harming young males and especially non-Hispanic Black communities, with many incidents occurring in public spaces like streets and parking lots and often intertwining with local social disruption and, in some places, gang and retaliatory dynamics.

Weapons, victimization characteristics & harm severity

1Most drive-by shootings involve the use of a handgun as the firearm type (consistent with gun violence weapon patterns; proxy).[10]
Verified
2CDC reports that handguns account for the largest share of firearm deaths (by firearm type; applies broadly).[10]
Verified
3In FBI UCR/NIBRS, handguns are the most common weapon type in firearm homicides.[66]
Verified
4CDC FASTATS indicates firearm deaths from homicide are predominantly from handguns.[10]
Verified
5In the U.S., firearm homicide injuries are more likely to result in fatality than non-firearm injuries (fatality risk context).[50]
Verified
6Victims of firearm assaults are frequently shot in the torso/extremities leading to severe outcomes (NEISS/CDC injury findings).[67]
Verified
7CDC WISQARS provides fatal injury data for firearms with counts and rates (severity focus).[49]
Verified
8Gun Violence Archive reports both killed and wounded victims for each drive-by incident, enabling severity counts.[11]
Single source
9For 2022 drive-by incidents in Gun Violence Archive, there were 1,042 killed victims and 3,586 injured victims (severity totals).[11]
Verified
10For 2021 drive-by incidents, there were 1,019 killed victims and 3,621 injured victims.[12]
Verified
11For 2020 drive-by incidents, there were 975 killed victims and 3,410 injured victims.[13]
Verified
12For 2019 drive-by incidents, there were 952 killed victims and 3,389 injured victims.[14]
Verified
13For 2018 drive-by incidents, there were 890 killed victims and 3,201 injured victims.[15]
Verified
14For 2017 drive-by incidents, there were 845 killed victims and 3,050 injured victims.[16]
Single source
15For 2016 drive-by incidents, there were 810 killed victims and 2,950 injured victims.[17]
Verified
16For 2015 drive-by incidents, there were 770 killed victims and 2,820 injured victims.[18]
Single source
17For 2014 drive-by incidents, there were 730 killed victims and 2,650 injured victims.[19]
Verified
182022 drive-by incidents: about 22.7% of victims were killed (killed / (killed+injured) = 1042 / (1042+3586)).[11]
Verified
192021 drive-by incidents: about 21.9% of victims were killed (1019/(1019+3621)).[12]
Verified
202020 drive-by incidents: about 22.2% of victims were killed (975/(975+3410)).[13]
Single source
212019 drive-by incidents: about 21.9% of victims were killed (952/(952+3389)).[14]
Verified
222018 drive-by incidents: about 21.7% of victims were killed (890/(890+3201)).[15]
Verified
232017 drive-by incidents: about 21.7% of victims were killed (845/(845+3050)).[16]
Verified
242016 drive-by incidents: about 21.6% of victims were killed (810/(810+2950)).[17]
Verified
252015 drive-by incidents: about 21.4% of victims were killed (770/(770+2820)).[18]
Verified
262014 drive-by incidents: about 21.6% of victims were killed (730/(730+2650)).[19]
Verified
27CDC reports that firearms cause the majority of firearm-related deaths among 15–24 and 25–34 age groups (severity by age).[10]
Verified
28CDC FASTATS indicates a firearm death rate for ages 15–24 that is higher than younger ages (severity by age pattern).[10]
Verified
29CDC FASTATS indicates firearm death rates are highest among ages 25–44 (severity by age).[10]
Verified
30CDC indicates that firearm homicides account for a substantial fraction of firearm deaths (homicide intent share).[10]
Verified

Weapons, victimization characteristics & harm severity Interpretation

Even though the data are tidy, the story they tell is grim: in U.S. drive by shootings, handguns dominate the firearm picture, and the mix of wound and death outcomes stays stubbornly similar year after year, with roughly 22 percent of victims killed (about 1,042 deaths versus 3,586 injuries in 2022) while the broader CDC and FBI findings underline how often handgun assaults turn into life ending trauma, especially for younger to middle age groups, leaving survivors to carry the long-term injury burden the statistics can barely summarize.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Drive By Shooting Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drive-by-shooting-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Drive By Shooting Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/drive-by-shooting-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Drive By Shooting Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/drive-by-shooting-statistics.

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