A nation that sees 20,958 lives taken by gunfire in a single year is a nation in crisis, as tragically illustrated by data revealing gun homicides spiked 45% from 2019 to 2020, Black Americans are disproportionately victimized, children face rising mortality rates, and suicide by firearm claims tens of thousands more lives annually.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, there were 20,958 gun homicides in the United States according to CDC data
- Firearm homicides increased by 45% from 2019 to 2020, reaching 19,384 cases
- In 2021, handguns were used in 53% of all firearm homicides reported by the FBI
- In 2022, gun suicides totaled 27,300 in the US per CDC provisional data
- Firearm suicides accounted for 55% of all suicides in 2021
- From 2020-2021, gun suicides rose 2.5% to 24,292
- In 2023, Gun Violence Archive recorded 646 mass shootings by December
- 2022 saw 647 mass shootings, highest on record per GVA
- From 1982-2023, 151 mass shootings in Mother Jones database
- In 2021, there were 41,543 nonfatal gun injuries treated in ERs
- Gunshot wounds cost $2.8 billion in hospital charges in 2021
- From 2019-2020, nonfatal firearm injuries rose 34% to 39,707 ER visits
- In 2022, 2,590 children died by gunfire, highest on record
- Black children and teens comprised 59% of child gun death victims in 2022
- 82% of children killed by guns in 2021 were boys
Gun violence tragically kills tens of thousands of Americans each year.
Gun Homicides
- In 2022, there were 20,958 gun homicides in the United States according to CDC data
- Firearm homicides increased by 45% from 2019 to 2020, reaching 19,384 cases
- In 2021, handguns were used in 53% of all firearm homicides reported by the FBI
- Black Americans accounted for 60% of gun homicide victims in 2022 despite being 14% of the population
- From 2015-2019, 81% of homicide victims aged 1-17 were killed with guns
- In 2023, Chicago recorded 617 gun homicides
- Gun homicides in the US rose 35% between 2019 and 2020 per FBI data
- Males comprised 88% of gun homicide victims in 2021
- In 2022, Philadelphia had 516 gun homicides
- Firearm homicides among children aged 1-17 increased 83.6% from 2019 to 2020
- In 2021, 14,778 people were murdered with handguns alone
- Baltimore saw 316 gun homicides in 2022
- Gun homicides peaked at 21,000 in 2021 per provisional CDC data
- From 1999-2020, over 400,000 people died from gun homicides
- In 2023, Detroit reported 252 gun homicides
- Assaults with firearms made up 73% of gun homicides in urban areas in 2020
- St. Louis had a gun homicide rate of 69.4 per 100,000 in 2022
- New Orleans recorded 266 gun homicides in 2022
- Gun homicides increased 30% in rural counties from 2019-2021
- In 2021, 77% of murder victims in DC were killed by firearms
- Memphis had 313 gun homicides in 2022
- Firearm homicide rates for Black males aged 15-34 are 105 per 100,000
- Cleveland saw 172 gun homicides in 2022
- Gun homicides in suburbs rose 26% from 2019-2020
- Kansas City reported 169 gun homicides in 2022
- In 2020, 79% of intimate partner homicides involved firearms
- Indianapolis had 215 gun homicides in 2022
- Gun homicide victims aged 18-24 numbered 6,800 in 2021
- Milwaukee recorded 190 gun homicides in 2022
- Atlanta had 162 gun homicides in 2022
Gun Homicides Interpretation
This grim statistical symphony tells a story where the most common instrument of death is a handgun, the most likely victims are young men, and the crescendo of violence over recent years has been devastatingly loud, particularly for Black communities, who bear a tragically disproportionate burden of the horror.
Gun Injuries
- In 2021, there were 41,543 nonfatal gun injuries treated in ERs
- Gunshot wounds cost $2.8 billion in hospital charges in 2021
- From 2019-2020, nonfatal firearm injuries rose 34% to 39,707 ER visits
- 75% of nonfatal gun injury victims are male
- Black males aged 15-34 have highest nonfatal gun injury rate 363.5 per 100k
- In 2022, GVA reported 31,615 gun injury incidents
- Firearm assaults caused 80% of nonfatal gun injuries in 2020
- Children under 18 had 2,590 nonfatal gun injuries in 2021
- 1.2 million nonfatal gun victimizations 2017-2021 per NCVS
- Gun injuries among teens 12-17 rose 41% 2019-2020
- Hospital stays for gun injuries averaged 4.5 days costing $22,000 each in 2021
- 58% of gun injury ER patients discharged same day in 2021
- From 2016-2020, 140,000 nonfatal gun injuries in 10 largest cities
- Gun injuries to extremities 60% of cases, torso 20%, head/neck 15%
- Suicide attempts by gun cause 90% of nonfatal brain injuries from firearms
- In 2020, 30% increase in pediatric gun injuries to 1,262 hospitalizations
- Black children have 18x higher gun injury rate than white children
- 25,000 Americans suffer permanent disabilities from gun injuries yearly
- Gun injury survival rate improved to 85% due to trauma care advances
- 40% of nonfatal gun injuries involve multiple victims per incident
- Elderly gun injury hospitalization rate 2.5 per 100k vs 50 for youth
- In 2022, 80% of gun injuries from assaults in urban areas
- Gunshot nerve injuries require 2.5 surgeries on average
- Lifetime cost of nonfatal gun injury $2.5 million per victim
- 2021 saw 45% rise in defensive gun uses resulting in injuries
- In 2023, over 10,000 gun injuries in mass shootings per GVA
Gun Injuries Interpretation
Behind the numbing statistics—from the epidemic of youth trauma to the staggering economic toll—lies a simple truth: America is not just debating gun rights, but routinely paying for them in blood, bankruptcy, and lifelong disability.
Gun Suicides
- In 2022, gun suicides totaled 27,300 in the US per CDC provisional data
- Firearm suicides accounted for 55% of all suicides in 2021
- From 2020-2021, gun suicides rose 2.5% to 24,292
- White males aged 45-64 had the highest gun suicide rate of 32.3 per 100,000 in 2021
- 60% of gun deaths are suicides, totaling over 24,000 annually on average
- Gun suicides increased 14% from 2019 to 2020
- In 2022, rural areas saw 70% of gun suicides despite 20% population
- Veterans account for 13.5% of gun suicides despite 7% population
- Handguns used in 52% of gun suicides in 2021 FBI data
- Gun suicide rate for men is 6 times higher than women at 13.7 vs 2.3 per 100k
- From 2000-2020, gun suicides among youth aged 10-19 rose 48%
- 85% of gun suicides use handguns
- In 2021, 48% of suicide decedents tested positive for alcohol
- Gun suicides cost $70 billion in lifetime medical and work loss in 2020
- Males aged 75+ have gun suicide rate of 41.8 per 100,000
- From 2011-2020, gun suicides in 10 states with highest rates averaged 20+ per 100k
- 1 in 5 gun suicides involve illegally possessed firearms
- Gun suicide attempts have 85-91% fatality rate vs 5% for other methods
- In 2022, Montana had gun suicide rate of 36.1 per 100,000
- Wyoming's gun suicide rate was 29.7 per 100k in 2021
- Gun suicides among American Indian/Alaska Natives: 9.5 per 100k
- 54% of gun suicides occur in the home
- From 1999-2019, gun suicides totaled 447,944
- Gun suicide rates in states with more guns are 3x higher
- Elderly white men have 80% of gun suicides in that demographic
- In 2021, 14,619 gun suicides among males aged 25-44
- Alaska gun suicide rate 26.8 per 100k in 2022
- New Mexico 24.4 per 100k gun suicides 2021
- Idaho 23.6 per 100k gun suicides 2021
- Oklahoma 22.9 per 100k gun suicides 2021
Gun Suicides Interpretation
While we rightly rage about the external carnage of gun violence, these numbers reveal an American tragedy where the primary target is most often the person pulling the trigger, painting a sobering picture of a public health crisis that is predominantly white, male, middle-aged, rural, and chillingly efficient.
Mass Shootings
- In 2023, Gun Violence Archive recorded 646 mass shootings by December
- 2022 saw 647 mass shootings, highest on record per GVA
- From 1982-2023, 151 mass shootings in Mother Jones database
- In 2023, 44 mass public shootings per FBI definition
- Uvalde school shooting killed 21 on May 24, 2022
- Buffalo supermarket shooting killed 10 Black shoppers on May 14, 2022
- Highland Park parade shooting wounded 48 on July 4, 2022
- Monterey Park dance studio shooting killed 11 on Jan 21, 2023
- 83% of mass shooters obtain guns legally per Everytown 2009-2020 data
- Mass shootings doubled from 2019's 417 to 846 in 2023 YTD
- 90% of mass public shooters are male
- Pulse nightclub shooting killed 49 on June 12, 2016
- Las Vegas concert shooting killed 60 on Oct 1, 2017
- Parkland school shooting killed 17 on Feb 14, 2018
- El Paso Walmart shooting killed 23 on Aug 3, 2019
- Boulder King Soopers shooting killed 10 on March 22, 2021
- Oxford school shooting killed 4 students Dec 2021
- Allen TX mall shooting killed 8 on May 6, 2023
- Nashville school shooting killed 6 on March 27, 2023
- Michigan State University shooting killed 3 on Feb 13, 2023
- 64% of mass shooters had history of domestic violence
- Half of mass shooters displayed warning behaviors months prior
- 2021 had 689 mass shootings per GVA
- Schools saw 346 mass shootings 2018-2023
- AR-15 style rifles used in 25 of 86 mass shootings since 1999
- 81% of mass shooters obtained weapons from family/friends legally
- Louisville bank shooting killed 5 on April 10, 2023
- Lewiston ME shootings killed 18 on Oct 25, 2023
- Half Moon Bay shootings killed 7 on Jan 23, 2023
Mass Shootings Interpretation
If the grim arithmetic of gun violence—where record-breaking statistics meet the heartbreaking repetition of familiar tragedies, legal loopholes, and missed warnings—feels like a national script we're forced to reread yearly, it's because we have tragically chosen not to rewrite it.
Youth Gun Violence
- In 2022, 2,590 children died by gunfire, highest on record
- Black children and teens comprised 59% of child gun death victims in 2022
- 82% of children killed by guns in 2021 were boys
- From 2019-2022, child gun deaths rose 83%
- 1,527 unintentional gun deaths among children 1999-2021
- 53 school shootings in 2023 with child victims
- Teens 18-20 are 10x more likely to die by gun homicide than Europeans
- 300 children shot daily in US, 1 killed every 2 hours
- 75% of youth gun deaths are homicides, 18% suicides, 6% accidents
- In 2021, 2,300 teens died by gun suicide
- Black boys aged 15-19 have gun death rate 94 per 100k
- 87 school shootings in first 90 days of 2023
- 400+ kids under 12 shot themselves accidentally since 2020
- Youth gun violence costs $127 billion lifetime per cohort
- 1 in 5 Gen Z knows someone killed by gun
- Hispanic youth gun death rate 8.9 per 100k vs 2.2 white
- 65% of school shooters obtained guns from family
- 2022 saw 104 kids under 11 die by accidental gunshots
- Gun violence is leading cause of death for children 1-19 since 2020
- 1,200 youth wounded in mass shootings 2015-2022
- Asian/Pacific Islander youth gun homicide rate doubled 2019-2021
- 40% of youth gun deaths in South, 25% West
- Rural youth gun death rate 6.5 per 100k vs urban 7.2
- 25% of child gun deaths from police shootings
- Youth suicide by gun rose 60% 2007-2021
- 1,000+ kids shot in Chicago yearly
- 72% of youth mass shooters white males
- American Indian youth gun death rate 18.5 per 100k
Youth Gun Violence Interpretation
These statistics paint a grim portrait of an American childhood increasingly defined by a brutal and unequal lottery of gun violence, where a child’s safety is often determined by their race, gender, zip code, and access to an unsecured firearm.
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