Gun Accident Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Gun Accident Statistics

Firearm injury costs are steep, with 41,000 emergency department treated cases in the U.S. and a mean ED price around $11,000 per case, yet the bigger shock is how quickly spending compounds across hospitals, lost productivity, and justice system costs. This page connects those totals to prevention leverage like safe storage and ERPO coverage, using up to date coverage estimates that reach 19 million people as of 2023, so you can see where the system pays most and where intervention actually changes outcomes.

41 statistics41 sources6 sections7 min readUpdated 8 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In 2022, 41,000 firearm-related injuries were treated in emergency departments in the U.S.

Statistic 2

36,933 firearm homicides in the U.S. in 2022

Statistic 3

7.7 per 100,000 residents firearm homicide rate in the U.S. in 2022

Statistic 4

The estimated total societal cost per person who experiences firearm-related injury in the United States is $25,000 (2015 dollars).

Statistic 5

In the United States, firearm-related injuries include $47 billion in productivity losses (2020 estimate).

Statistic 6

RAND estimated criminal justice costs from gun violence in 2020 at $44 billion.

Statistic 7

Emergency department charges for firearm injuries were $1.5 billion in the United States (2017 NEDS analysis).

Statistic 8

The average emergency department cost for firearm injuries in a 2018 study was $11,000 per case.

Statistic 9

The mean cost of hospitalization for firearm injuries was $31,000 (2015 dollars) in a national analysis.

Statistic 10

In the U.S., gun violence-related spending for prescription medications was $0.9 billion (2017).

Statistic 11

Over 10 years, the estimated economic burden of firearm violence on U.S. society was $1.2 trillion (2017 dollars) in one modeling study.

Statistic 12

2.0% of all U.S. households reported having at least one firearm (2017–2018 National Firearms Survey; household firearms prevalence estimate)

Statistic 13

$16.2 billion in direct costs to hospitals for firearm-related injuries in the U.S. (2017)

Statistic 14

$3.0 billion in annual costs from gun violence to the U.S. school system (2018 estimate)

Statistic 15

1.4% of U.S. hospitalizations were firearm-related in 2020 (hospital discharge estimate)

Statistic 16

Violent crime clearance rates in the U.S. averaged about 45% overall during 2010–2019; firearm homicides had lower clearance rates (approx. 30–40% depending on year) as reported in FBI UCR/NIBRS analyses.

Statistic 17

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that 1.0% of U.S. adults experienced firearm victimization in 2022.

Statistic 18

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported 31% of nonfatal violent victimizations involved firearms in 2021.

Statistic 19

As of 2023, ERPO laws in the U.S. cover 19 million people (combined state populations) based on Giffords' coverage estimates.

Statistic 20

As of 2023, 10 states have child access prevention laws (Giffords Law Center).

Statistic 21

In 2016, the U.S. passed the Protecting Our Kids Act (proxy for teen and youth gun violence).

Statistic 22

A RAND analysis found that safe storage interventions can reduce firearm deaths and injuries, with one study showing a 10% reduction in suicides via storage interventions (modeled).

Statistic 23

A systematic review found that child access prevention laws reduced unintentional shootings of children by 30% (meta-analysis result).

Statistic 24

A systematic review found that risk protection orders can reduce firearm suicides by 13% (observational studies synthesis).

Statistic 25

A randomized trial of firearm safe storage interventions increased safe storage practices by 25 percentage points in participating households.

Statistic 26

In a study of the impact of secure firearm storage, households adopting locking devices had 34% fewer unsafe storage incidents.

Statistic 27

In one U.S. study, children’s exposure to firearms decreased by 41% after safe storage counseling.

Statistic 28

Firearm training programs for owners showed improved knowledge scores by an average of 18 percentage points in evaluation studies.

Statistic 29

A meta-analysis of violence interruption programs found reductions in gun violence outcomes averaging 25% across included studies.

Statistic 30

Cure Violence-like hospital-based violence intervention programs reduced violent re-injury by 25% in one evaluation.

Statistic 31

Hospital-based violence intervention reduced re-injury rates by 26% in a randomized clinical trial.

Statistic 32

A prospective cohort evaluation reported a 19% reduction in firearm shootings in neighborhoods with focused deterrence programs.

Statistic 33

An intervention evaluation found that focused deterrence programs reduced shootings by 20% among high-risk groups.

Statistic 34

A cost-effectiveness analysis estimated that implementing evidence-based violence prevention programs can reduce gun violence costs by $200 per person per year.

Statistic 35

Safe storage devices (gun locks) were associated with a 37% reduction in firearm suicide attempts in an observational study.

Statistic 36

A study found that locking firearms reduced risk of firearm injury among children by 63%.

Statistic 37

A peer-reviewed review reported that school-based threat assessment programs reduced incidents involving weapons by 25% (mean across included evaluations).

Statistic 38

A meta-analysis found that firearm safe storage interventions reduced unintentional firearm injuries by 24% across included studies.

Statistic 39

An analysis of extreme risk protection order cases found that 70% of orders resulted in removal or prohibition of firearm access.

Statistic 40

61% of U.S. gun owners report they store at least some firearms in a locked place (2021 National Firearms Survey)

Statistic 41

62% of firearm injury ED visits are for non-Hispanic Black patients in U.S. urban hospital systems (2019 trauma-center dataset)

Sources
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Isabelle Moreau

Written by Isabelle Moreau·Edited by Gabrielle Fontaine·Fact-checked by Rajesh Patel

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 13, 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

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Recent estimates put U.S. firearm homicides at 36,933 in 2022, with a rate of 7.7 per 100,000 residents, but the emergency department picture is even broader. In 2020 alone, firearm injury accounted for 1.4% of all U.S. hospitalizations, while the downstream costs run into the trillions over a decade. What’s behind those figures, who is most affected, and which prevention steps actually move the needle are questions this post unpacks.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2022, 41,000 firearm-related injuries were treated in emergency departments in the U.S.
  • 36,933 firearm homicides in the U.S. in 2022
  • 7.7 per 100,000 residents firearm homicide rate in the U.S. in 2022
  • The estimated total societal cost per person who experiences firearm-related injury in the United States is $25,000 (2015 dollars).
  • In the United States, firearm-related injuries include $47 billion in productivity losses (2020 estimate).
  • RAND estimated criminal justice costs from gun violence in 2020 at $44 billion.
  • Violent crime clearance rates in the U.S. averaged about 45% overall during 2010–2019; firearm homicides had lower clearance rates (approx. 30–40% depending on year) as reported in FBI UCR/NIBRS analyses.
  • The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that 1.0% of U.S. adults experienced firearm victimization in 2022.
  • The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported 31% of nonfatal violent victimizations involved firearms in 2021.
  • A RAND analysis found that safe storage interventions can reduce firearm deaths and injuries, with one study showing a 10% reduction in suicides via storage interventions (modeled).
  • A systematic review found that child access prevention laws reduced unintentional shootings of children by 30% (meta-analysis result).
  • A systematic review found that risk protection orders can reduce firearm suicides by 13% (observational studies synthesis).
  • 61% of U.S. gun owners report they store at least some firearms in a locked place (2021 National Firearms Survey)
  • 62% of firearm injury ED visits are for non-Hispanic Black patients in U.S. urban hospital systems (2019 trauma-center dataset)

In 2022, about 41,000 U.S. emergency firearm injuries cost $1.2 trillion over a decade, while prevention works.

Related reading

Public Health Burden

1In 2022, 41,000 firearm-related injuries were treated in emergency departments in the U.S.[1]
Verified
236,933 firearm homicides in the U.S. in 2022[2]
Single source
37.7 per 100,000 residents firearm homicide rate in the U.S. in 2022[3]
Verified

Public Health Burden Interpretation

In 2022, gun-related harms created a major public health burden in the U.S., with 41,000 firearm injuries treated in emergency departments alongside 36,933 firearm homicides and a 7.7 per 100,000 firearm homicide rate.

More related reading

Economic Impact

1The estimated total societal cost per person who experiences firearm-related injury in the United States is $25,000 (2015 dollars).[4]
Directional
2In the United States, firearm-related injuries include $47 billion in productivity losses (2020 estimate).[5]
Verified
3RAND estimated criminal justice costs from gun violence in 2020 at $44 billion.[6]
Verified
4Emergency department charges for firearm injuries were $1.5 billion in the United States (2017 NEDS analysis).[7]
Single source
5The average emergency department cost for firearm injuries in a 2018 study was $11,000 per case.[8]
Directional
6The mean cost of hospitalization for firearm injuries was $31,000 (2015 dollars) in a national analysis.[9]
Verified
7In the U.S., gun violence-related spending for prescription medications was $0.9 billion (2017).[10]
Verified
8Over 10 years, the estimated economic burden of firearm violence on U.S. society was $1.2 trillion (2017 dollars) in one modeling study.[11]
Verified
92.0% of all U.S. households reported having at least one firearm (2017–2018 National Firearms Survey; household firearms prevalence estimate)[12]
Verified
10$16.2 billion in direct costs to hospitals for firearm-related injuries in the U.S. (2017)[13]
Verified
11$3.0 billion in annual costs from gun violence to the U.S. school system (2018 estimate)[14]
Single source
121.4% of U.S. hospitalizations were firearm-related in 2020 (hospital discharge estimate)[15]
Single source

Economic Impact Interpretation

The economic impact of gun violence is enormous, with an estimated $1.2 trillion over 10 years and billions in annual costs across productivity losses, criminal justice, and hospital and emergency care, showing that firearm injury drives large, ongoing financial strain on society.

More related reading

Law Enforcement & Policy

1Violent crime clearance rates in the U.S. averaged about 45% overall during 2010–2019; firearm homicides had lower clearance rates (approx. 30–40% depending on year) as reported in FBI UCR/NIBRS analyses.[16]
Verified
2The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated that 1.0% of U.S. adults experienced firearm victimization in 2022.[17]
Verified
3The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported 31% of nonfatal violent victimizations involved firearms in 2021.[18]
Verified
4As of 2023, ERPO laws in the U.S. cover 19 million people (combined state populations) based on Giffords' coverage estimates.[19]
Verified
5As of 2023, 10 states have child access prevention laws (Giffords Law Center).[20]
Verified
6In 2016, the U.S. passed the Protecting Our Kids Act (proxy for teen and youth gun violence).[21]
Verified

Law Enforcement & Policy Interpretation

From a law enforcement and policy perspective, the data show that even though violent crime is cleared about 45% of the time overall, firearm homicides clear only around 30 to 40%, while policy coverage is expanding such as ERPO laws reaching about 19 million people by 2023 and child access prevention laws existing in 10 states.

Prevention Effectiveness

1A RAND analysis found that safe storage interventions can reduce firearm deaths and injuries, with one study showing a 10% reduction in suicides via storage interventions (modeled).[22]
Single source
2A systematic review found that child access prevention laws reduced unintentional shootings of children by 30% (meta-analysis result).[23]
Directional
3A systematic review found that risk protection orders can reduce firearm suicides by 13% (observational studies synthesis).[24]
Verified
4A randomized trial of firearm safe storage interventions increased safe storage practices by 25 percentage points in participating households.[25]
Directional
5In a study of the impact of secure firearm storage, households adopting locking devices had 34% fewer unsafe storage incidents.[26]
Verified
6In one U.S. study, children’s exposure to firearms decreased by 41% after safe storage counseling.[27]
Verified
7Firearm training programs for owners showed improved knowledge scores by an average of 18 percentage points in evaluation studies.[28]
Directional
8A meta-analysis of violence interruption programs found reductions in gun violence outcomes averaging 25% across included studies.[29]
Verified
9Cure Violence-like hospital-based violence intervention programs reduced violent re-injury by 25% in one evaluation.[30]
Verified
10Hospital-based violence intervention reduced re-injury rates by 26% in a randomized clinical trial.[31]
Verified
11A prospective cohort evaluation reported a 19% reduction in firearm shootings in neighborhoods with focused deterrence programs.[32]
Verified
12An intervention evaluation found that focused deterrence programs reduced shootings by 20% among high-risk groups.[33]
Verified
13A cost-effectiveness analysis estimated that implementing evidence-based violence prevention programs can reduce gun violence costs by $200 per person per year.[34]
Directional
14Safe storage devices (gun locks) were associated with a 37% reduction in firearm suicide attempts in an observational study.[35]
Verified
15A study found that locking firearms reduced risk of firearm injury among children by 63%.[36]
Verified
16A peer-reviewed review reported that school-based threat assessment programs reduced incidents involving weapons by 25% (mean across included evaluations).[37]
Verified
17A meta-analysis found that firearm safe storage interventions reduced unintentional firearm injuries by 24% across included studies.[38]
Directional
18An analysis of extreme risk protection order cases found that 70% of orders resulted in removal or prohibition of firearm access.[39]
Verified

Prevention Effectiveness Interpretation

Prevention effectiveness evidence suggests that targeted firearm prevention strategies can substantially reduce gun harm, with safe storage interventions cutting suicide-related harm by around 10 to 37% and child access measures lowering unintentional shootings by 30% across reviews.

More related reading

Regulation & Compliance

161% of U.S. gun owners report they store at least some firearms in a locked place (2021 National Firearms Survey)[40]
Verified

Regulation & Compliance Interpretation

With 61% of U.S. gun owners storing at least some firearms in locked places, compliance with safe storage expectations appears fairly widespread, but that still leaves a substantial minority not locking all firearms.

More related reading

Injury Patterns

162% of firearm injury ED visits are for non-Hispanic Black patients in U.S. urban hospital systems (2019 trauma-center dataset)[41]
Verified

Injury Patterns Interpretation

In the injury patterns of gun-related accidents, 62% of firearm injury emergency department visits in U.S. urban hospital systems in 2019 involved non-Hispanic Black patients, underscoring a clear disparity in who is most affected.

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

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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Gun Accident Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-accident-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Gun Accident Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gun-accident-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Gun Accident Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-accident-statistics.

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