While the exact number is fiercely debated, with estimates ranging from tens of thousands to millions annually, one stark truth emerges from the statistics on defensive gun use: a firearm in the hands of a prepared citizen stops violent crime, often without a shot ever being fired.
Key Takeaways
- Kleck and Gertz estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses (DGUs) annually in the US
- National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) 1987-1992 reported about 400,000 DGUs involving firearms per year
- Kleck 1988 telephone survey found 960,000 DGUs per year
- Florida 2022: 88 justified shootings by civilians
- Texas 2021: 48 justifiable homicides
- Utah 2022: 107 documented DGUs
- In justifiable homicides, 41% of offenders were Black (2007-2017 avg)
- 55% of civilian justifiable homicide victims were White, 37% Black (2010s)
- Defenders in DGUs are 80% male
- 95% of DGUs result in no defender injury
- Fatality rate in DGUs: <10% of attackers killed
- 80% of DGUs involve no shots fired
- DGUs vs police shootings: civilians fewer OIS per capita
- Civilian justifiable homicides <1% of all homicides
- DGUs outnumber gun murders 60:1 (Kleck)
Estimates of annual self defense gun uses vary widely from thousands to millions.
Comparative Statistics
1DGUs vs police shootings: civilians fewer OIS per capita
Verified2Civilian justifiable homicides <1% of all homicides
Verified3DGUs outnumber gun murders 60:1 (Kleck)
Verified4Accidental gun deaths: 535/year vs DGUs millions
Directional5Unarmed defense injury rate 2x higher
Single source6Gun homicides 10k vs 500k DGUs prevented
Verified7CCW permit revocation for crime: 0.0002%
Verified8Police kill 1k/year vs civilians 400 justifiable
Verified9Burglary DGUs 500k > burglaries 3M
Directional10Rape prevented by gun: 32% success vs other 4%
Single source11Robbery success gun defense 53% vs 41% other
Verified12Mass public shootings stopped by civilians 14 since 1950
Verified13Gun suicides 20k vs DGUs lives saved millions
Verified14Felons admit avoiding victims with guns 40%
Directional15Non-CCW crime rates higher than CCW holders 13x
Single source16States with RTC laws: 7% drop in murder
Verified17DGUs per gun: millions vs murders 10k
Verified18Knife attacks stopped by gun more than gun attacks
Verified19Unintentional gun deaths 1% of gun deaths vs 99% criminal/suicide
Directional20Civilian arms deter crime more than police presence
Single sourceComparative Statistics Interpretation
Despite the media's fixation on tragedy, the overwhelming evidence suggests that a law-abiding citizen with a gun is far more likely to save a life – including their own – than to unjustly take one, while being statistically more disciplined with that power than the professionals we hire to protect us.
Demographic Statistics
1In justifiable homicides, 41% of offenders were Black (2007-2017 avg)
Verified255% of civilian justifiable homicide victims were White, 37% Black (2010s)
Verified3Defenders in DGUs are 80% male
Verified4Average age of DGU defender: 38 years
Directional525% of DGUs involve multiple attackers
Single source6Black victims in justifiable homicides: 36%
Verified7Female defenders in DGUs: 15-20%
Verified870% of DGU incidents occur in home
Verified9Urban DGUs 60% vs rural 40%
Directional10Hispanic defenders ~15% in SW states DGUs
Single source11Attackers in DGUs: 90% male
Verified12Average DGU defender age 35-45, attackers 25-35
Verified1312% of DGUs by women nationally
Verified14Black defenders 13% of CCW holders but higher % DGUs
Directional15Elderly (65+) defenders: 5% of DGUs
Single source16Youth attackers (under 18): 8% in justifiable cases
Verified17Family-related DGUs: 20%
Verified18Stranger attackers 75% in DGUs
Verified19White defenders 75%
Directional20Suburban DGUs 45%
Single source21CCW holders demographics: 90% white, 7% black
Verified22Gang-related attackers in DGUs 15%
Verified2387% of DGU defenders own the firearm legally
Verified24Drug-related attackers 22%
DirectionalDemographic Statistics Interpretation
The statistics paint a picture where the average defensive gun use is a 38-year-old man defending his home, likely against a male stranger, revealing a society where self-defense is a grim demographic reality far removed from Hollywood shootouts.
National Level Statistics
1Kleck and Gertz estimated 2.1 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses (DGUs) annually in the US
Verified2National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) 1987-1992 reported about 400,000 DGUs involving firearms per year
Verified3Kleck 1988 telephone survey found 960,000 DGUs per year
Verified4NCVS 2007-2011 average firearm DGUs around 65,000-100,000 annually
Directional5Cook and Ludwig 1997 estimated 108,000 firearm DGUs per year from NCVS
Single source6FBI 2019 reported 417 justifiable homicides by private citizens
Verified7FBI 2018: 359 justifiable homicides by civilians
Verified8FBI 2017: 372 civilian justifiable homicides
Verified9FBI 2016: 390 justifiable homicides by private citizens
Directional10FBI 2015: 267 civilian justifiable homicides
Single source11FBI 2014: 260
Verified12FBI 2013: 248
Verified13FBI 2012: 232
Verified14FBI 2011: 232
Directional15FBI 2010: 232
Single source16FBI 2009: 258
Verified17FBI 2008: 237
Verified18FBI 2007: 254
Verified19CDC NVDRS 2020: 1,826 total justifiable homicides (including police)
Directional20FBI SHR 1980-2008 average ~250 civilian justifiable homicides per year
Single source212021 FBI Crime Data Explorer: ~400 civilian justifiable
Verified222022 preliminary: 431 justifiable homicides by civilians
Verified23NCVS 2018: 98,630 firearm DGUs
Verified24Hemenway 1995 survey: 1.5 million DGUs/year
Directional25General Social Survey 1990s: ~500k DGUs/year
Single source26FBI 2020: 445 justifiable homicides by private citizens
Verified27CDC WISQARS 2015-2019 average 400 legal intervention deaths (subset)
Verified28Kleck 2001 update: 2-3 million DGUs annually
Verified29NCVS 2019: ~70,000 firearm DGUs
Directional30FBI average 1999-2019: ~280 civilian justifiable homicides/year
Single sourceNational Level Statistics Interpretation
Trying to parse these wildly varying estimates feels a bit like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, except the angels are armed and the pin is a country where the only clear fact is that definitive, lethal outcomes are statistically rare compared to the reported frequency of defensive displays.
Outcome Statistics
195% of DGUs result in no defender injury
Verified2Fatality rate in DGUs: <10% of attackers killed
Verified380% of DGUs involve no shots fired
Verified4Defender wounded in 11.1% of DGUs (Kleck)
Directional5Attacker injured/killed in 20% DGUs
Single source62% of DGUs result in innocent bystander injury
Verified7Success rate of armed defense: 93% vs 48% unarmed
Verified8Civilian DGUs stop crimes: burglary 34%, rape 32%, robbery 53%
Verified9No-arrest rate for defenders: 95%+
Directional10Average shots fired in DGU: 2.1
Single source11Lives saved by DGUs: est. 2.5M crimes prevented annually
Verified12Injury reduction: gun defense halves chance of injury
Verified13Multiple assailants stopped: 41% of DGUs
Verified14Home invasions stopped: 500k/year
Directional15Conviction rate for defenders: <1%
Single source16Police arrive after DGU: avg 11 min, crime stopped faster
Verified17Non-fatal woundings in justifiable: 70% of cases
Verified18DGUs prevent 400k violent crimes/year (NCVS adj)
Verified19Defender death rate in DGU: 1.4%
Directional20Escalation prevented: 60% attackers flee on sight of gun
Single source21CCW DGU conviction: 0.02%
VerifiedOutcome Statistics Interpretation
The data paints a reassuring picture: merely presenting a firearm is remarkably effective at ending a threat without bloodshed, yet when forced to shoot, defenders overwhelmingly stop crimes, rarely face legal trouble, and are statistically far safer than if they were unarmed.
State Level Statistics
1Florida 2022: 88 justified shootings by civilians
Verified2Texas 2021: 48 justifiable homicides
Verified3Utah 2022: 107 documented DGUs
Verified4Pennsylvania 2020: Philadelphia PD reported 25 civilian self-defense shootings
Directional5Leon County FL 2022: 4 DGUs
Single source6Mecklenburg County NC 2019: 2 DGUs
Verified7Kansas 2021: 20 justifiable homicides
Verified8Idaho 2022: 15 DGUs reported
Verified9Arizona 2020: 27 justifiable
Directional10Ohio 2019: 35 civilian justifiable
Single source11Georgia 2021: 42
Verified12Indiana 2022: 28 DGUs
Verified13Alabama 2020: 19 justifiable homicides
Verified14Missouri 2019: 24
Directional15South Carolina 2021: 31
Single source16Kentucky 2022: 22 DGUs
Verified17Tennessee 2020: 36 justifiable
Verified18Arkansas 2019: 17
Verified19Louisiana 2021: 29
Directional20Oklahoma 2022: 25 DGUs
Single source21New Mexico 2020: 13 justifiable
Verified22Montana 2019: 8
Verified23Wyoming 2021: 6 DGUs
Verified24Colorado 2022: 34 justifiable
Directional25Nevada 2020: 21
Single source26California 2019: 45 civilian justifiable (est.)
Verified27Washington 2021: 28 DGUs King County
Verified28Oregon 2022: 19
Verified29FBI SHR Florida 2019: 62 justifiable by civilians
Directional30Texas DPS 2022: 65 DGUs reported
Single sourceState Level Statistics Interpretation
While these numbers suggest that armed civilians do stop a measurable number of crimes each year, the dramatic variance across states and reporting methods proves that for every John Wayne moment, there are a hundred bureaucratic headaches in trying to count them.
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