Gun-related deaths in the United States reached 43,065 in 2023, including 29,836 homicides and suicides. Firearms drove 54% of US homicides in 2022. The sections below map what gun ownership and policy choices translate into for deaths, injuries, and preventable loss.
Key Takeaways
- US gun ownership: 120 firearms per 100 residents, highest globally
- In 2023, 656 mass shootings occurred, killing 712 and injuring 2,700+
- In 2022, 44,290 non-fatal gun injuries reported to NEISS
- In 2023, there were 43,065 gun-related deaths in the US, including 29,836 homicides/suicides and 13,229 unintentional/other
- In 2021, Black Americans were 60% of gun homicide victims but 14% pop
Gun violence remains a serious threat in America, with tens of thousands killed and injured each year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Gun Ownership And Policy23 stats
01
US gun ownership: 120 firearms per 100 residents, highest globally
02
44% US adults own gun personally or household, 32% personally
03
Permitless carry states increased from 25 to 29 post-2022 Bruen decision
04
Background checks: 30M denied 1998-2023
05
States with assault weapon bans: gun death 10% lower
06
Gun production: 23M firearms manufactured 2022
07
Safe storage laws: reduce youth suicides 8-14%
08
Stand-your-ground laws correlate with 8% homicide increase
09
Universal background checks: states with them have 15% fewer gun deaths
10
Concealed carry permits: 21.5M active 2023, up 10%
11
Ghost guns: 25,000 traced in crimes 2019-2022
12
Red flag laws: prevented 800+ gun removals 2020-2023
13
Gun show loophole: 20-40% private sales unchecked
14
Waiting periods: reduce gun suicides 11%, homicides 17%
15
Open carry states: 45 allow some form
16
Firearm export/import: US net exporter 1M guns yearly
17
Domestic violence gun bans: reduce homicides 10%
18
High-capacity mag bans: 48% fewer mass shooting victims
19
Gun-free zones: 90% of mass shootings not in them
20
Permit-to-purchase: 11 states, lower gun death rates
21
3D-printed guns: 10,000+ recovered by police 2021-2023
22
Minimum age 21 for handgun: reduces youth suicides 8%
23
International: US gun homicide 25x higher than peer nations
Interpretation
Gun Ownership And Policy Interpretation
With US gun ownership reaching 120 firearms per 100 residents and 44% of adults owning guns, policy choices still matter most as permitless carry rose from 25 to 29 after the 2022 Bruen decision while states with assault weapon bans see about 10% lower gun deaths.
02 · Category
Mass Shootings29 stats
01
In 2023, 656 mass shootings occurred, killing 712 and injuring 2,700+
02
Uvalde school shooting 2022: 21 killed (19 children, 2 teachers)
03
Buffalo supermarket 2022: 10 killed, 3 injured in racist attack
04
Highland Park parade 2022: 7 killed, 48 injured
05
Monterey Park dance studio 2023: 11 killed, 9 injured
06
Allen outlet mall 2023: 8 killed, 7 injured
07
Nashville school 2023: 6 killed (3 children, 3 adults)
08
Lewiston ME 2023: 18 killed, 13 injured
09
UNLV 2023: 3 killed, 1 injured
10
Kansas City parade 2024: 1 killed, 22 injured
11
Since Columbine 1999, 428 mass shootings by GVA definition (4+ injured/killed)
12
2022 record: 636 mass shootings, deadliest year
13
Public mass shootings (4+ killed, FBI def): 120 from 1966-2019
14
Mass shootings in schools: 153 incidents 2000-2022, 216 deaths
15
Workplace mass shootings: 185 incidents 2006-2022, 300+ deaths
16
Mass shootings by white supremacists: 51% of deadly attacks post-1990
17
AR-15 style rifles used in 24 of 50 deadliest mass shootings since 1966
18
Mass shootings doubled from 2019's 417 to 2023's 656
19
40% of mass shooters had prior domestic violence records
20
Supermarkets/walmarts: 15 mass shootings since 1999, 100+ killed/injured
21
Nightclubs/bars: 45 mass shootings 2015-2023
22
Churches: 36 mass shootings since 2009
23
Concerts/festivals: 12 mass shootings, including Las Vegas 2017 (60 killed)
24
Average mass shooting victims per incident: 6.2 injured, 2.1 killed in 2023
25
Repeat mass shooters: 6% involved multiple attacks
26
Mass shootings in red states vs blue: no significant difference per capita
27
Pulse nightclub 2016: 49 killed, 53 injured
28
Parkland 2018: 17 killed, 17 injured
29
El Paso Walmart 2019: 23 killed, 22 injured
Interpretation
Mass Shootings Interpretation
In the mass shootings category, 656 incidents in 2023 killed 712 people and injured more than 2,700, showing that even when individual events like Uvalde with 21 deaths stand out, the overall scale of harm remains consistently massive.
03 · Category
Non Fatal Injuries24 stats
01
In 2022, 44,290 non-fatal gun injuries reported to NEISS
02
Gunshot wounds treated in ERs: 82,000 in 2021, up 40% from 2019
03
Pediatric gun injuries: 27,000 hospitalizations 2010-2021
04
Annual nonfatal firearm injuries: ~140,000, cost $28B in medical expenses
05
Black males: 1 in 125 chance of nonfatal gun injury lifetime
06
Assault-related gun injuries: 80% of nonfatal shootings
07
Self-inflicted nonfatal gun injuries: 8,000 annually
08
Gun injuries in home: 45% accidental
09
2023: 31,000+ gun injury victims per GVA
10
Paraplegia from gunshots: 6,000 new cases yearly
11
Gun trauma costs per patient: $250,000average hospital bill
12
Youth gun injuries tripled 2015-2022 in some cities
13
Female gun injury victims: 25% of total, often domestic
14
Rural gun injuries: higher per capita due to hunting accidents, 4.5 per 100k
15
Police-involved shootings: 1,100 nonfatal injuries 2015-2022
16
Gang-related gun injuries: 60% of urban nonfatal shootings
17
Amputation rates from gun injuries: 2-5% of cases
18
Long-term PTSD post-gun injury: 40-60% prevalence
19
Defensive gun uses result in 500-3,000 injuries annually
20
Handgun injuries: 75% of nonfatal shootings
21
Mass shooting injuries: 2,668 in 2023 alone
22
Gun injuries during robberies: 15,000 yearly
23
Elderly gun injury hospitalizations: up 50% 2016-2020
24
Black children: 82 nonfatal gun injuries per day avg 2020-2022
Interpretation
Non Fatal Injuries Interpretation
Non-fatal gun injuries remain a major, growing public health burden, with about 140,000 annual nonfatal firearm injuries costing $28 billion in medical expenses and ER gunshot wound visits rising to 82,000 in 2021, up 40% from 2019.
More related reading
04 · Category
Overall Fatalities And Homicides30 stats
01
In 2023, there were 43,065 gun-related deaths in the US, including 29,836 homicides/suicides and 13,229 unintentional/other
02
Firearms were used in 54% of all US homicides in 2022, totaling 19,651 firearm homicides
03
From 2019-2023, annual gun homicides averaged 21,000, a 25% increase from the prior decade
04
In 2021, suicides accounted for 54% of gun deaths (24,292), making firearms the leading suicide method
05
Gun deaths rose 43% from 2010 to 2021, reaching 48,830 total deaths
06
Black Americans comprised 60% of gun homicide victims in 2022 despite being 14% of population
07
In 2022, 4,579 children and teens (0-19) died by gun, highest on record
08
Firearm homicides increased 35% from 2019 to 2020, from 14,414 to 19,384
09
In 2023, gun suicides numbered 27,300, up 2% from 2022
10
Total gun deaths per 100,000: 13.7 in 2021, highest since 1993
11
Homicides by gun: 20,138 in 2023, per FBI data
12
Unintentional gun deaths: 534 in 2021, including 120 children under 18
13
Gun deaths in rural areas: 18.2 per 100k vs 11.9 in urban, 2020-2021
14
Firearms caused 79% of murders of police officers 2010-2022
15
In 2022, 691 mass shooting deaths (4+ victims)
16
Gun homicide rate for males: 15.1 per 100k, females 2.4 per 100k in 2021
17
Total gun violence deaths 1999-2020: 703,000+
18
2023 saw 42,967 gun deaths, down slightly from 2022's 44,290
19
Firearm suicides among youth (10-24): 2,573 in 2021
20
Gun deaths doubled among Black children 2019-2022
21
In 2022, 14,860 gun murders, per FBI UCR
22
Veterans: gun suicide rate 22.6 per 100k vs 15.6 civilian males
23
Gun deaths in US exceed car crash deaths since 2016, 45k vs 42k in 2022
24
Hispanic gun homicide victims: 1,697 in 2021, rate 5.5 per 100k
25
Firearm homicide rate peaked at 7.6 per 100k in 2021
26
In 2020, COVID lockdowns correlated with 30% gun homicide spike
27
Gun deaths among Asian Americans: 1.2 per 100k, lowest rate 2021
28
Total unintentional gun deaths 2015-2019: 2,357
29
Gun suicides in elderly (65+): 20.5 per 100k males
30
2023 preliminary: 19,651 gun homicides
Interpretation
Overall Fatalities And Homicides Interpretation
In the “Overall Fatalities And Homicides” picture, gun-related deaths have climbed sharply, totaling 43,065 in 2023 and rising 43% from 2010 to 2021, while homicides remain heavily firearm-driven with 19,651 firearm homicides in 2022 and Black Americans making up 60% of gun homicide victims.
05 · Category
Victim Demographics23 stats
01
In 2021, Black Americans were 60% of gun homicide victims but 14% pop
02
Males: 86% of gun homicide victims, rate 12.5 per 100k vs 1.9 females
03
Children/teens (1-17): 2,590 gun homicides in 2021
04
Black males 15-34: gun homicide rate 101.1 per 100k
05
Women: 55% of intimate partner gun homicides
06
Hispanics: 12% of gun deaths despite 19% pop, rate 7.6 per 100k
07
Rural youth: gun death rate 8.2 per 100k vs 5.1 urban
08
LGBTQ+ individuals: 4x higher gun homicide risk if trans
09
Veterans: 22% of gun suicides, despite 7% pop
10
Infants (0-1): 227 gun deaths 2020-2022, mostly homicide
11
Native Americans: gun death rate 25.5 per 100k, highest
12
Elderly women: gun suicide rate 5.2 per 100k
13
Gang members: 80% of urban Black male gun deaths 15-24
14
Poor neighborhoods: gun homicide 10x higher rate
15
Transgender: 7.5x homicide rate if armed partner present
16
Immigrants: lower gun victimization rates, 3.1 per 100k
17
Mental illness: only 4% of gun violence perpetrators
18
Homeless: 2x gun death rate
19
Students: 346 school gun deaths 2018-2023
20
Domestic violence victims: 1 in 4 gun homicides
21
White males: 70% of gun suicides
22
Urban Black females 15-24: rate 9.5 per 100k
23
Asian Americans: 2% of gun homicides
Interpretation
Victim Demographics Interpretation
Under victim demographics, gun homicide disproportionately affects Black Americans and men, with Black people making up 60% of gun homicide victims in 2021 while only 14% of the population, and males accounting for 86% of victims at a rate of 12.5 per 100,000 compared with 1.9 for females.
report visual · Key figures
Gun violence snapshots over time
Key indicators show how gun violence remains elevated with notable changes across recent years.
2022
2022 record: 636 mass shootings, deadliest year
2019
Mass shootings doubled from 2019's 417 to 2023's 656
10
Poor neighborhoods: gun homicide 10x higher rate
42,967
2023 saw 42,967 gun deaths, down slightly from 2022's 44,290
4,579
In 2022, 4,579 children and teens (0-19) died by gun, highest on record
43,065
In 2023, there were 43,065 gun-related deaths in the US, including 29,836 homicides/suicides and 13,229 unintentional/ot
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). Gun Violence In America Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-in-america-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "Gun Violence In America Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-in-america-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "Gun Violence In America Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/gun-violence-in-america-statistics.
Sources & references
48 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level