While 2021 saw a devastating record of 48,830 lives lost to firearms, making guns the leading cause of death for American children and teens, the full story of this national crisis is told in the startling statistics that follow.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, there were 48,830 gun-related deaths in the United States, marking the highest annual total ever recorded.
- Firearms were the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens (ages 1-17) in 2021, with 2,590 fatalities.
- From 2019 to 2021, gun deaths increased by 23% in rural counties compared to 12% in urban counties.
- In 2022, 19,384 people were murdered with guns in the US.
- Gun homicides rose 45% from 2019 to 2021, from 13,927 to 20,173.
- Black males aged 15-34 had a gun homicide rate of 103.2 per 100,000 in 2021.
- Gun suicides totaled 26,328 in 2021, 54% of all suicides.
- Firearm suicides among men: 70% of male suicides in 2021.
- Gun suicide rate for adults 85+: 40.8 per 100,000 in 2021.
- In 2021, there were 80,000+ nonfatal firearm injuries treated in US hospitals.
- Firearm assault injuries: 27,700 in 2021, mostly nonfatal.
- Unintentional firearm injuries: 6,520 hospital cases in 2021.
- Mass shootings in 2023: 656 incidents per Gun Violence Archive.
- 2022 mass shootings: 647, highest year on record.
- Since Columbine (1999), 428 mass shootings in schools.
The rising crisis of American gun violence claimed a heartbreaking record high in 2021.
Fatalities
1In 2021, there were 48,830 gun-related deaths in the United States, marking the highest annual total ever recorded.
Verified2Firearms were the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens (ages 1-17) in 2021, with 2,590 fatalities.
Verified3From 2019 to 2021, gun deaths increased by 23% in rural counties compared to 12% in urban counties.
Verified4In 2022, provisional data shows 43,965 gun deaths in the US, down slightly from 2021 but still elevated.
Directional5Black Americans accounted for 60% of gun homicide victims in 2021 despite being 14% of the population.
Single source6Firearm mortality rate in 2020 was 14.2 per 100,000, up from 11.0 in 2019.
Verified7Between 2019 and 2020, gun deaths rose 43% among US children and adolescents.
Verified8In 2020, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths, including suicides, homicides, and accidents.
Verified9Gun deaths reached 48,204 in 2021, with a rate of 14.8 per 100,000 population.
Directional10From 1999-2020, gun deaths totaled 697,000, surpassing motor vehicle deaths in recent years.
Single source11In 2019, the firearm death rate for males was 23.8 per 100,000 vs. 3.6 for females.
Verified12Firearm fatalities increased 35% from 2015 to 2020 across the US.
Verified13In 2022, at least 44,290 people died by guns in the US, per preliminary CDC data.
Verified14Gun deaths among Black children rose 50% from 2019 to 2022.
Directional15Total gun deaths in 2018 were 39,740, with a rate of 12.1 per 100,000.
Single source16From 2010-2021, firearm deaths increased by 33%, from 35,332 to 47,000+.
Verified17In 2020, Louisiana had the highest firearm death rate at 29.1 per 100,000.
Verified18Firearm deaths accounted for 4.5% of all US deaths in 2021.
Verified19Provisional 2023 data estimates over 42,000 gun deaths, continuing high trends.
Directional20Gun fatalities for ages 18-24 surged 83% from 2011 to 2021.
Single source21In 2021, 54% of suicides (26,328) were by firearm.
Verified22Total unintentional firearm deaths in 2021: 537.
Verified23Firearm deaths in US youth (1-19) totaled 4,733 in 2021.
Verified24From 1999-2021, cumulative gun deaths exceeded 1 million.
Directional25Mississippi's 2021 firearm death rate: 28.6 per 100,000.
Single source26Gun deaths rose 14% nationally from 2019 to 2020.
Verified27In 2022, 20,200 children witnessed a shooting death.
Verified28Firearm mortality for Native Americans: 25.6 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified29DC had 29.4 gun deaths per 100,000 in 2020.
Directional30Gun deaths in 2023 YTD: over 30,000 as of Oct.
Single sourceFatalities Interpretation
In 2021, America’s children were more likely to be killed by a bullet than by anything else, a grim new normal where the leading cause of childhood death is not illness or accident but a uniquely American policy failure.
Homicides
1In 2022, 19,384 people were murdered with guns in the US.
Verified2Gun homicides rose 45% from 2019 to 2021, from 13,927 to 20,173.
Verified3Black males aged 15-34 had a gun homicide rate of 103.2 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified4In 2021, 79% of all homicides involved a firearm.
Directional5Chicago saw 697 gun homicides in 2021.
Single source6Firearm homicides accounted for 54% of all murders in 2022.
Verified7From 2019-2020, gun homicides increased 30% nationwide.
Verified8Philadelphia recorded 561 gun homicides in 2021.
Verified9In 2020, 77% of murder victims aged 18-24 were killed by guns.
Directional10Gun homicide rate for Black Americans: 27.5 per 100,000 in 2021.
Single source11Baltimore had 318 firearm homicides in 2022.
Verified12Nationally, gun homicides spiked 35% in 2020 amid pandemic.
Verified13In 2021, 14,677 gun homicides among males aged 25-44.
Verified14St. Louis gun homicide rate: 69.4 per 100,000 in 2021.
Directional15Firearms used in 73% of Black homicide deaths in 2020.
Single source16New Orleans saw 266 gun murders in 2022.
Verified17Gun homicides in Detroit: 309 in 2021.
Verified18Hispanic gun homicide victimization rate: 7.9 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified19Cleveland had 137 gun homicides in 2022.
Directional20From 2015-2020, gun homicides rose 31% in large cities.
Single source21Memphis gun homicides: 249 in 2021.
Verified22In 2022, Kansas City recorded 172 firearm murders.
Verified23Gun homicides among teens (15-19) doubled from 2019 to 2022.
Verified24Milwaukee saw 190 gun homicides in 2022.
Directional25Atlanta had 171 gun murders in 2022.
Single source26Gun homicides in Stockton, CA: 45 in 2021, rate over 30 per 100k.
Verified27In 2021, 90% of youth gun homicides occurred in urban areas.
Verified28Indianapolis gun homicides: 215 in 2022.
Verified29In 2021, firearms were used in 81% of homicides in California.
DirectionalHomicides Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of a public health emergency, where the alarming rise in gun violence, tragically concentrated in marginalized communities and urban centers, makes it clear that "thoughts and prayers" are a wholly insufficient response to a daily and preventable bloodletting.
Injuries
1In 2021, there were 80,000+ nonfatal firearm injuries treated in US hospitals.
Verified2Firearm assault injuries: 27,700 in 2021, mostly nonfatal.
Verified3Unintentional firearm injuries: 6,520 hospital cases in 2021.
Verified4Gunshot wounds cost $2.8 billion in hospital charges in 2021.
Directional5Children under 18: 4,000+ nonfatal gun injuries in 2022.
Single source6Black children: 8x higher nonfatal gun injury rate than white.
Verified7From 2018-2022, 1,200+ kids accidentally shot family members.
Verified8Male nonfatal firearm injury rate: 5x female in 2021.
Verified970% of nonfatal gun injuries from assaults in urban areas.
Directional10Hospitalizations for gun injuries up 34% from 2019-2021.
Single source11In 2020, 39,707 nonfatal firearm injuries reported to NEISS.
Verified12Teens 15-19: 10,000+ nonfatal gun injuries yearly.
Verified13Gun injury survival rate improved to 80% due to trauma care advances.
Verified14Lifetime medical costs per gun injury: $1.1 million on average.
Directional152022 saw 15,000+ pediatric nonfatal shootings.
Single source16Firearm self-harm injuries: 8,000 nonfatal in 2021.
Verified17Rural gun injury rates 2x urban for unintentional.
Verified18Gun injuries in workplace: 500+ nonfatal annually.
Verified19Hispanic youth nonfatal gun assault injuries up 60% 2019-2021.
Directional20Paralyzed by gunshots: 800 new cases yearly.
Single source21Gun injury ED visits: 140,000 in 2021.
Verified22Women: 25% of nonfatal intimate partner gun injuries.
Verified23Military veterans: 2,000 gun injuries nonfatal yearly.
Verified24Gun trauma centers see 50% higher survival with Level 1 designation.
Directional25In 2022, 40,000+ nonfatal gun injuries estimated.
Single source26Amputation from gun injuries: 1,500 cases annually.
Verified27Elderly gun injury hospitalization rate: 12 per 100,000.
VerifiedInjuries Interpretation
While our trauma surgeons are performing miracles to achieve an 80% survival rate, the relentless, billion-dollar accounting of bullets in bodies—disproportionately targeting the young, the Black, and our urban centers—paints a damning portrait of a nation treating the symptoms of its self-inflicted sickness while willfully ignoring the cure.
Mass Shootings
1Mass shootings in 2023: 656 incidents per Gun Violence Archive.
Verified22022 mass shootings: 647, highest year on record.
Verified3Since Columbine (1999), 428 mass shootings in schools.
Verified4Mass shootings 2024 YTD (as of Oct): 500+.
Directional5Uvalde, TX 2022: 21 killed in Robb Elementary mass shooting.
Single source6Buffalo supermarket 2022: 10 Black victims killed.
Verified7Highland Park parade 2022: 7 dead, 48 injured.
Verified8Monterey Park 2023: 11 killed in dance hall.
Verified9Nashville school 2023: 6 dead including 3 children.
Directional10Allen, TX mall 2023: 8 killed.
Single source11Mass shootings doubled from 277 in 2018 to 692 in 2021.
Verified1280% of mass shooters obtained guns legally.
Verified13Public mass shootings (4+ killed): 35 in 2023.
Verified14El Paso Walmart 2019: 23 dead, anti-immigrant motive.
Directional15Parkland 2018: 17 killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS.
Single source16Las Vegas 2017: 60 killed, 400+ injured concert.
Verified17Orlando Pulse 2016: 49 dead in nightclub.
Verified18Sutherland Springs church 2017: 26 killed.
Verified19Dayton 2019: 9 killed in 32 seconds.
Directional20Boulder King Soopers 2021: 10 killed.
Single source21Oxford High School 2021: 4 students killed.
Verified22Club Q Colorado Springs 2022: 5 killed, 19 injured.
Verified23Lewiston, ME 2023: 18 killed in two locations.
VerifiedMass Shootings Interpretation
The statistics offer a grim arithmetic where the annual body count rises like a bad stock market, proving that while America debates solutions, shooters are tragically efficient at executing the problem.
Suicides
1Gun suicides totaled 26,328 in 2021, 54% of all suicides.
Verified2Firearm suicides among men: 70% of male suicides in 2021.
Verified3Gun suicide rate for adults 85+: 40.8 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified4From 2006-2020, gun suicides increased 13.8%.
Directional5White males accounted for 68% of gun suicides in 2021.
Single source6In rural areas, 72% of suicides involve firearms vs. 44% urban.
Verified7Gun suicides in 2020: 24,292, up 14% from 2019.
Verified8Veterans: firearms used in 70% of suicides, 6,261 in 2021.
Verified9Elderly white men (75+): gun suicide rate 49.6 per 100,000.
Directional10From 2015-2019, gun suicides averaged 23,941 annually.
Single source11In 2022, estimated 25,000+ gun suicides.
Verified12Gun suicide attempts have 85-90% fatality rate vs. 5% other methods.
Verified13Montana's gun suicide rate: 39.3 per 100,000 in 2021.
Verified14Gun suicides declined 3% from 2019-2020 in some states post-laws.
Directional15Males 25-34: 32.1 gun suicides per 100,000 in 2021.
Single source16Wyoming gun suicides: 43.9 per 100,000, highest state.
Verified1758% of gun deaths are suicides, totaling over 14 million since 1975.
Verified18Gun suicide rate doubled for youth 10-19 from 2007-2021.
Verified19In 2021, 59% of suicide deaths (48% total) were by firearm.
Directional20Alaska: 49.7 gun suicides per 100,000 in 2020.
Single source21Gun suicides among women increased 15% from 2015-2020.
Verified22States with safe storage laws see 8-10% lower gun suicide rates.
Verified23In 2019, 14,707 veteran gun suicides.
Verified24Gun suicides peak in spring months, up 20% March-May.
Directional25New Mexico gun suicide rate: 28.1 per 100,000.
Single source26Gun suicides for ages 35-54: highest demographic at 21,000+ annually.
Verified27In 2021, non-Hispanic white gun suicide rate: 18.3 per 100,000.
Verified28Gun suicides dropped 7% in states with waiting periods.
Verified29In 2022, over 27,000 gun suicides estimated.
DirectionalSuicides Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of a national crisis where the firearm, often celebrated as a tool of protection, is tragically and overwhelmingly its owner's own executioner, with the data revealing a particularly lethal intersection of masculinity, isolation, and easy access.
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