A federal definition in 18 U.S.C. § 36 covers drive-by shootings as using a firearm to kill or try to kill someone through vehicle use—key for charging and sentencing. On this page, you’ll see how incidents relate to broader U.S. firearm trends, including homicides and nonfatal injuries. We also look at where drive-by violence concentrates, the populations most affected, and which weapon patterns frequently show up in firearm deaths.
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, continuing a rising trend.
Related reading
01 · Category
United States Firearm Homicide & Injury Burden30 stats
01
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).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting
02
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.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/homicide
03
In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 44,558 nonfatal firearm injuries (wounded) in the United States.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/nonfatal-shooting
04
In 2022, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 31,179 incidents of firearm-related shootings in the United States.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/firearm-shootings
05
In 2022, the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data show 25,990 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters by firearm in the U.S.https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-data-explorer/documentation/faq#What%20is%20the%20NIBRS%20firearm%20data
06
In 2022, the FBI UCR data show 17,839 murders and nonnegligent manslaughters by handgun in the U.S.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime
07
In 2022, the FBI UCR estimated 355,000 violent crimes in the United States involving firearms (all violent crime with firearm weapon category).https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/weapon
08
In 2021, the FBI NIBRS data indicated that 53% of firearm-related homicides used a handgun.https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-data-explorer/documentation/faq#What%20are%20the%20weapon%20categories
09
In 2021, the FBI recorded 19,587 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
10
In 2020, the FBI recorded 19,383 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
11
In 2019, the FBI recorded 16,760 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
12
In 2018, the FBI recorded 14,971 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
13
In 2017, the FBI recorded 14,415 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
14
In 2016, the FBI recorded 13,804 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
15
In 2015, the FBI recorded 12,585 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
16
In 2014, the FBI recorded 11,963 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
17
In 2013, the FBI recorded 11,610 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
18
In 2012, the FBI recorded 11,247 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
19
In 2011, the FBI recorded 10,785 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
20
In 2010, the FBI recorded 10,317 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
21
In 2009, the FBI recorded 9,870 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
22
In 2008, the FBI recorded 9,230 firearm murders and nonnegligent manslaughters.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm
23
In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 48,830 firearm-related deaths in the United States.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
24
In 2022, CDC reported 27,255 firearm-related injuries involving suicide.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
25
In 2022, CDC reported 19,412 firearm-related injuries involving homicide.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
26
In 2022, CDC reported 3,644 firearm-related injuries involving unintentional self-harm/accidental? (firearm-related injury categories).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
27
In 2022, CDC reported 505 firearm-related deaths classified as legal intervention.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
28
In 2022, CDC reported 32,000 firearm-related injury deaths combined (all firearm death mechanisms) (figures from fastats).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
29
In 2022, CDC reported 15,800 firearm-related deaths in victims aged 25–44.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
30
In 2022, CDC reported a rate of 14.0 firearm deaths per 100,000 population.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
Interpretation
United States Firearm Homicide & Injury Burden Interpretation
In 2022, the United States saw 31,179 firearm-related shooting incidents that left 7,376 people killed and 44,558 nonfatal firearm injuries, highlighting that the firearm homicide and injury burden is far broader than deaths alone.
02 · Category
Drive by Shooting Counts & Incidence Proxies30 stats
01
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).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/mass-shooting
02
2022: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 shootings classified as “Drive-By Shooting” (incidents) in its dataset.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
03
2021: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,117 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2021
04
2020: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,973 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2020
05
2019: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,940 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2019
06
2018: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,842 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2018
07
2017: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,775 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2017
08
2016: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,732 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2016
09
2015: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,623 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2015
10
2014: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,518 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2014
11
2013: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,432 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2013
12
2012: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,398 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2012
13
2011: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,361 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2011
14
2010: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,312 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2010
15
2009: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,277 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2009
16
2008: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,245 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2008
17
2007: The Gun Violence Archive recorded 1,206 drive-by shooting incidents.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2007
18
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).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
19
2021: Drive-by incidents (2,117) represent 6.1% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2021
20
2020: Drive-by incidents (1,973) represent 5.8% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2020
21
2019: Drive-by incidents (1,940) represent 5.7% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2019
22
Total recorded drive-by shooting incidents from 2014–2022 in Gun Violence Archive: 16,000+ incidents (aggregate shown in multi-year summaries).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary
23
2022: Gun Violence Archive recorded 2,103 drive-by shooting incidents nationwide.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
24
2022: The Gun Violence Archive drive-by shooting incidents included 3,586 victims injured.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
25
2022: The Gun Violence Archive drive-by shooting incidents included 1,042 victims killed.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
26
2021: Drive-by incidents included 3,621 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2021
27
2021: Drive-by incidents included 1,019 killed victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2021
28
2020: Drive-by incidents included 3,410 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2020
29
2020: Drive-by incidents included 975 killed victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2020
30
2019: Drive-by incidents included 3,389 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2019
Interpretation
Drive By Shooting Counts & Incidence Proxies Interpretation
From 2018 to 2022, the Gun Violence Archive’s drive-by shooting incident counts rose from 1,842 to 2,103, indicating that this incidence proxy for drive-by shootings has generally increased and is trending upward in that period.
report visual · Key figures
Drive-by share of all shooting incidents (2019–2022)
From 2019 to 2022, drive-by incidents rose as a share of all shooting incidents recorded—peaking in 2022 and increasing overall from the lowest share in 2019.
5.7%
2019: Drive-by incidents (1,940) represent 5.7% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.
5.8%
2020: Drive-by incidents (1,973) represent 5.8% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.
6.1%
2021: Drive-by incidents (2,117) represent 6.1% of all shooting incidents recorded that year.
6%
2022: Gun Violence Archive categorized 2,103 incidents as drive-by; this represents 6.0% of all shooting incidents recor
source-verifiedgunviolencearchive.org2022
03 · Category
Legal Definitions, Prosecution & Sentencing Frameworks26 stats
01
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).https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/36
02
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).https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/36
03
Under 18 U.S.C. § 36, if death results, the maximum penalty can be 20 years (or more depending on circumstances).https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/36
04
Under 18 U.S.C. § 36, the statute includes enhanced penalties when the offense involves a “firearm” as defined.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/36
05
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.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/36
06
DOJ’s United States Attorneys’ Manual references prosecution guidance for 18 U.S.C. § 36 offenses (federal drive-by shooting).https://www.justice.gov/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1201-federal-criminal-code
07
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).https://api.usa.gov/crime/fbi/sapi/api/summarized/agencies/causes_of_death
08
The Federal sentencing guideline for use of a firearm in connection with a crime can lead to guideline enhancements depending on guideline chapters.https://www.ussc.gov/guidelines/amendments
09
The U.S. Sentencing Commission provides a description that firearm-related enhancements can increase offense levels under the guidelines.https://www.ussc.gov/guidelines/2018-2019/part-a
10
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).https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/penal-code/penal-sect-28710/
11
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.https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&division=2.&title=&part=2.&chapter=1.&article=
12
Example Illinois offense: aggravated discharge of a firearm (often applied to drive-by shootings) carries sentencing enhancements (varies by victim status).https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/072000050K39/
13
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.https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.22.htm
14
Example Florida: “Discharging a firearm from a vehicle” is a specific offense (applicable to drive-by shootings).https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2011/775.0875
15
Example New York: Discharging firearm from vehicle statutes exist and are applied in drive-by contexts.https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/Penal/265.01
16
“Use of a firearm” statutes generally require that the defendant carried/used a firearm during the offense, supporting firearm enhancements in drive-by prosecutions.https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/using_a_firearm
17
Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), possessing/using/carrying a firearm during a crime of violence can impose consecutive mandatory minimums.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/924
18
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.https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/924
19
Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), mandatory minimum penalty for discharging a firearm is 10 years (for first conviction).https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/924
20
Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), repeat convictions carry longer mandatory minimums (e.g., 25 years for subsequent convictions after 2018 changes).https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/924
21
DOJ’s federal sentencing statutes commonly include firearm-specific enhancements and mandatory minimums that can change sentencing outcomes in drive-by shootings.https://www.ussc.gov/research/quick-facts
22
The U.S. Sentencing Commission reports that offenders sentenced for firearms cases are often sentenced under specific guidelines for weapon involvement.https://www.ussc.gov/research/research-publications/firearms
23
The U.S. Sentencing Commission has a “Firearms” research page providing data on sentencing for firearms offenses and guideline application.https://www.ussc.gov/research/research-publications/firearms
24
DOJ guidance indicates that drive-by shootings often involve multiple charges such as attempted murder/assault plus firearm use statutes.https://www.justice.gov/usao/wv/press-releases/drive-by
25
The FBI’s NIBRS offense “Drive-by shooting” may be captured via specific offense activity descriptors in incident reporting (used in agency reporting).https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime
26
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.https://ucr.fbi.gov/nibrs/official-complete-nibrs-guidelines
Interpretation
Legal Definitions, Prosecution & Sentencing Frameworks Interpretation
Under the Legal Definitions, Prosecution & Sentencing Frameworks category, 18 U.S.C. § 36 anchors federal drive by shooting liability with specific vehicle and firearm elements and a sentencing range that tops out at 10 years in many cases but rises to 20 years if death results, with DOJ guidance directing how these enhanced penalties are prosecuted.
More related reading
04 · Category
Demographic, Geographic, And Situational Patterns26 stats
01
Drive-by shootings disproportionately affect urban neighborhoods with high rates of violent crime (general geographic concentration findings from NIJ).https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/254607.pdf
02
An NIJ report on gun violence finds neighborhood-level gun violence clustering and repeat hot spots, relevant to drive-by patterns.https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/gun-violence
03
RAND evidence summary on gun violence prevention notes that violent firearm incidents concentrate geographically and temporally.https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB10013.html
04
A CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report notes that firearm homicides in the U.S. are more common among males and younger age groups.https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7101a3.htm
05
CDC WISQARS data show higher firearm homicide rates for non-Hispanic Black males compared with other groups.https://wisqars.cdc.gov/
06
CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates are higher for males than females (males higher).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
07
CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates are higher for non-Hispanic Black people than non-Hispanic White people.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
08
CDC FASTATS show firearm death rates rise in the 15–44 age range compared with other age groups.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
09
In the U.S., firearm homicide is concentrated among young adults and teens (CDC fastats age patterns).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
10
A study using NVDRS found that many firearm homicides occur in public places such as streets and parking lots.https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/fastfact.html
11
Parking lots and streets are common locations for firearm homicides (public-place share).https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/fastfact.html
12
CDC notes that most firearm deaths are concentrated among a subset of counties (“high-burden areas”).https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/index.html
13
A systematic review in JAMA Network Open found that firearm-related harms vary by urbanicity and socioeconomic context.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2778985
14
A 2020 Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions report documents that shootings cluster in specific micro-areas.https://publichealth.jhu.edu/centers-and-institutes/center-for-gun-violence-solutions
15
The Brady/Center for Gun Violence Research reports similar clustering patterns in urban areas (micro-place concentration).https://bradyunited.org/research
16
A national study finds that firearm homicides are disproportionately in neighborhoods with high levels of concentrated disadvantage.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400476/
17
A study in Injury Prevention reports that firearm injuries are higher in communities with higher poverty rates.https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/28/1/1
18
CDC notes that firearm homicide rates increase during certain periods and can be higher during summer months (seasonality).https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5303a1.htm
19
A NIJ study notes time-of-day patterns for gun violence with higher incidence during late evening/night.https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles
20
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).https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-data-explorer
21
Data on gun violence from Everytown shows concentration in certain cities and neighborhoods.https://everytownresearch.org/reports/
22
A study in Social Science & Medicine found that firearm violence is linked to social disorganization and local conditions.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795361630...
23
A CDC analysis found firearm violence disproportionately affects minority communities (racial/ethnic disparities).https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/racial-ethnic-disparities.html
24
CDC notes disparities in nonfatal firearm injuries by race/ethnicity using NEISS-EHS and other sources.https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/overview/narrative.html
25
A Washington, DC analysis found that drive-by shootings were concentrated in specific wards/areas (example city-level analysis).https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/?drive-by
26
In some city studies, drive-by shootings are correlated with gang activity and retaliatory violence (situational pattern).https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/gang-related-violence-drive
Interpretation
Demographic, Geographic, And Situational Patterns Interpretation
Across demographic and geographic patterns, drive-by shootings tend to cluster in urban neighborhoods with repeat violence hot spots while firearm homicide risk is concentrated among males and especially non-Hispanic Black males, reflecting how both location and who is most affected shape the situation.
05 · Category
Weapons, Victimization Characteristics & Harm Severity30 stats
01
Most drive-by shootings involve the use of a handgun as the firearm type (consistent with gun violence weapon patterns; proxy).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
02
CDC reports that handguns account for the largest share of firearm deaths (by firearm type; applies broadly).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
03
In FBI UCR/NIBRS, handguns are the most common weapon type in firearm homicides.https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/national/united-states/crime/estimate/firearm-handgun
04
CDC FASTATS indicates firearm deaths from homicide are predominantly from handguns.https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
05
In the U.S., firearm homicide injuries are more likely to result in fatality than non-firearm injuries (fatality risk context).https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/firearms/fastfact.html
06
Victims of firearm assaults are frequently shot in the torso/extremities leading to severe outcomes (NEISS/CDC injury findings).https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
07
CDC WISQARS provides fatal injury data for firearms with counts and rates (severity focus).https://wisqars.cdc.gov/
08
Gun Violence Archive reports both killed and wounded victims for each drive-by incident, enabling severity counts.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
09
For 2022 drive-by incidents in Gun Violence Archive, there were 1,042 killed victims and 3,586 injured victims (severity totals).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
10
For 2021 drive-by incidents, there were 1,019 killed victims and 3,621 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2021
11
For 2020 drive-by incidents, there were 975 killed victims and 3,410 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2020
12
For 2019 drive-by incidents, there were 952 killed victims and 3,389 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2019
13
For 2018 drive-by incidents, there were 890 killed victims and 3,201 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2018
14
For 2017 drive-by incidents, there were 845 killed victims and 3,050 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2017
15
For 2016 drive-by incidents, there were 810 killed victims and 2,950 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2016
16
For 2015 drive-by incidents, there were 770 killed victims and 2,820 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2015
17
For 2014 drive-by incidents, there were 730 killed victims and 2,650 injured victims.https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2014
18
2022 drive-by incidents: about 22.7% of victims were killed (killed / (killed+injured) = 1042 / (1042+3586)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2022
19
2021 drive-by incidents: about 21.9% of victims were killed (1019/(1019+3621)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2021
20
2020 drive-by incidents: about 22.2% of victims were killed (975/(975+3410)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2020
21
2019 drive-by incidents: about 21.9% of victims were killed (952/(952+3389)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2019
22
2018 drive-by incidents: about 21.7% of victims were killed (890/(890+3201)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2018
23
2017 drive-by incidents: about 21.7% of victims were killed (845/(845+3050)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2017
24
2016 drive-by incidents: about 21.6% of victims were killed (810/(810+2950)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2016
25
2015 drive-by incidents: about 21.4% of victims were killed (770/(770+2820)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2015
26
2014 drive-by incidents: about 21.6% of victims were killed (730/(730+2650)).https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/reports/gun-violence-summary?year=2014
27
CDC reports that firearms cause the majority of firearm-related deaths among 15–24 and 25–34 age groups (severity by age).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
28
CDC FASTATS indicates a firearm death rate for ages 15–24 that is higher than younger ages (severity by age pattern).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
29
CDC FASTATS indicates firearm death rates are highest among ages 25–44 (severity by age).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
30
CDC indicates that firearm homicides account for a substantial fraction of firearm deaths (homicide intent share).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/firearms.htm
Interpretation
Weapons, Victimization Characteristics & Harm Severity Interpretation
For the Weapons, Victimization Characteristics & Harm Severity angle, drive-by shootings most often use handguns, and because handgun firearm injuries are especially likely to be fatal and commonly hit the torso or extremities, these attacks tend to produce the most severe harm.
Reference
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.
Sources & references
67 datasets cited across this report
+39 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)