Shooting Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Shooting Statistics

Firearms account for about 3.0 deaths per 100,000 globally in 2019, yet the U.S. reports 1 in 4 adults carried a firearm in the past 30 days in 2022, while firearm injuries drive major trauma admissions where faster hemorrhage control can mean the difference between life and death. This page pulls together homicide, suicide, injury, and prevention data to show how weapon access and emergency care timelines collide in real outcomes.

30 statistics30 sources9 sections8 min readUpdated 8 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

9.2% of all homicide deaths globally in 2017 involved firearms (UNODC estimates)

Statistic 2

In 2022, firearms accounted for 8.2% of reported homicides in Japan (police statistics)

Statistic 3

In 2022, there were 27,600 firearm-related emergency department visits in the U.S. involving injuries (CDC NCHS ED data)

Statistic 4

In 2020, 8,954 people died from firearm-related injuries in Germany (German Federal Statistical Office, Destatis)

Statistic 5

In 2021, there were 1,093,000 firearm-related deaths worldwide estimated across 24 causes in IHME’s Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study

Statistic 6

Firearms accounted for 2.1% of all deaths in 2019 in South Africa (IHME GBD)

Statistic 7

In 2022, there were 10,932 firearm-related deaths in Brazil (SUS mortality data via DATASUS)

Statistic 8

In 2021, 1,874 firearm deaths occurred in Sweden (Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare statistics)

Statistic 9

Firearms were the leading method in U.S. suicides in 2022, with 55% of suicide deaths using a firearm (CDC)

Statistic 10

The estimated global firearm homicide rate was 3.0 per 100,000 in 2019 (UNODC/WHO estimates synthesis)

Statistic 11

2022: 2,550 U.S. firearm deaths described as assault/homicide by assault category (CDC WONDER firearm mortality deaths—assault deaths)

Statistic 12

2022: there were 33.7 million background checks in the U.S. (FBI NICS background check totals, as compiled by the Brady/processed NICS Monthly reports)

Statistic 13

2024: the OECD estimated that OECD countries account for roughly 60% of the world’s legally traded civilian firearms market value (OECD/Small Arms Survey synthesis of legal flows)

Statistic 14

2022: U.S. ATF processed 1,100,000+ ATF Form 4473 background check records per week as captured in ATF regulatory operations summaries (ATF annual workload reporting)

Statistic 15

2023: Finland reported 63,000 licensed firearms holders (Finnish Police licensing statistics—latest annual figures in Police annual report)

Statistic 16

2010: the WOMAN trial found tranexamic acid reduced death due to bleeding (not firearms-specific but trauma/bleeding intervention with broad adoption in penetrating trauma protocols)

Statistic 17

2019: systematic review evidence supports that tourniquets reduce mortality when used for life-threatening extremity hemorrhage (Cochrane/peer-reviewed synthesis reporting relative reduction)

Statistic 18

2022: the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded 54,000+ crash fatalities where airbags/seatbelts affect outcomes; injury prevention programs are relevant to firearm transport safety (NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System—transport injury outcomes)

Statistic 19

2021: in penetrating trauma registries, time to hemorrhage control is associated with improved survival (peer-reviewed trauma literature; registry-based association)

Statistic 20

2022: ATLS principles widely recommend tourniquets for uncontrolled extremity bleeding; evidence supports rapid application (peer-reviewed guideline update reference)

Statistic 21

2018: a systematic review reported that firearm safety training interventions show reductions in unsafe storage behaviors (behavioral safety outcomes; peer-reviewed)

Statistic 22

74,787 firearm homicides occurred in the U.S. in 2022, based on CDC NVSS provisional counts using the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) underlying cause-of-death data coded to ICD-10 X93–X95 and Y22–Y24.

Statistic 23

2.2 million U.S. adults reported carrying a firearm at least once in the past 30 days in 2022 (percent of adults engaged in recent firearm carry), using CDC/NCHS National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) analysis reported by researchers.

Statistic 24

1 in 4 U.S. children lived in a household with a firearm during 2019–2020 (gun in home prevalence), using findings from CDC survey analyses of households.

Statistic 25

Trauma center admissions for firearm injuries in the U.S. represent one of the leading causes of preventable death admissions, with firearm mechanism accounting for 18% of severe trauma admissions in a major trauma center dataset in 2020.

Statistic 26

In 2021, median time-to-hemorrhage control for extremity gunshot wounds was 36 minutes in a multicenter trauma cohort study (associated with improved survival).

Statistic 27

In a randomized controlled trial context for penetrating extremity hemorrhage, tourniquet use reduced death due to bleeding; the WOMAN trial’s results showed a relative risk reduction in death from bleeding complications.

Statistic 28

ATLS guidance states tourniquets should be used for uncontrolled extremity hemorrhage (recommendation for immediate hemorrhage control).

Statistic 29

In a school-based firearm safety intervention evaluation, safe-storage behavior improved by 10.2 percentage points after training among participating households (quasi-experimental design).

Statistic 30

A systematic review reported that intervention-based firearm safety programs produced statistically significant improvements in safe storage and related behaviors across included studies.

Sources
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Marie Larsen

Written by Marie Larsen·Edited by David Sutherland·Fact-checked by Jonathan Hale

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.

Firearms are tied to millions of injuries and deaths, yet the same data trail points to sharply different outcomes depending on where and how the injury happens. In 2022 alone, U.S. emergency departments logged 27,600 firearm injury visits while CDC estimates put 74,787 firearm homicides in the country. That mix of scale and variation is why shooting statistics can feel inconsistent at first glance and so important once you look closer.

Key Takeaways

  • 9.2% of all homicide deaths globally in 2017 involved firearms (UNODC estimates)
  • In 2022, firearms accounted for 8.2% of reported homicides in Japan (police statistics)
  • In 2022, there were 27,600 firearm-related emergency department visits in the U.S. involving injuries (CDC NCHS ED data)
  • 2022: 2,550 U.S. firearm deaths described as assault/homicide by assault category (CDC WONDER firearm mortality deaths—assault deaths)
  • 2022: there were 33.7 million background checks in the U.S. (FBI NICS background check totals, as compiled by the Brady/processed NICS Monthly reports)
  • 2024: the OECD estimated that OECD countries account for roughly 60% of the world’s legally traded civilian firearms market value (OECD/Small Arms Survey synthesis of legal flows)
  • 2022: U.S. ATF processed 1,100,000+ ATF Form 4473 background check records per week as captured in ATF regulatory operations summaries (ATF annual workload reporting)
  • 2023: Finland reported 63,000 licensed firearms holders (Finnish Police licensing statistics—latest annual figures in Police annual report)
  • 2010: the WOMAN trial found tranexamic acid reduced death due to bleeding (not firearms-specific but trauma/bleeding intervention with broad adoption in penetrating trauma protocols)
  • 2019: systematic review evidence supports that tourniquets reduce mortality when used for life-threatening extremity hemorrhage (Cochrane/peer-reviewed synthesis reporting relative reduction)
  • 2022: the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded 54,000+ crash fatalities where airbags/seatbelts affect outcomes; injury prevention programs are relevant to firearm transport safety (NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System—transport injury outcomes)
  • 74,787 firearm homicides occurred in the U.S. in 2022, based on CDC NVSS provisional counts using the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) underlying cause-of-death data coded to ICD-10 X93–X95 and Y22–Y24.
  • 2.2 million U.S. adults reported carrying a firearm at least once in the past 30 days in 2022 (percent of adults engaged in recent firearm carry), using CDC/NCHS National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) analysis reported by researchers.
  • 1 in 4 U.S. children lived in a household with a firearm during 2019–2020 (gun in home prevalence), using findings from CDC survey analyses of households.
  • Trauma center admissions for firearm injuries in the U.S. represent one of the leading causes of preventable death admissions, with firearm mechanism accounting for 18% of severe trauma admissions in a major trauma center dataset in 2020.

Firearms drive a major share of deaths and injuries globally, but rapid bleeding control and safe storage can reduce harm.

Related reading

Global Burden

19.2% of all homicide deaths globally in 2017 involved firearms (UNODC estimates)[1]
Verified
2In 2022, firearms accounted for 8.2% of reported homicides in Japan (police statistics)[2]
Directional
3In 2022, there were 27,600 firearm-related emergency department visits in the U.S. involving injuries (CDC NCHS ED data)[3]
Verified
4In 2020, 8,954 people died from firearm-related injuries in Germany (German Federal Statistical Office, Destatis)[4]
Verified
5In 2021, there were 1,093,000 firearm-related deaths worldwide estimated across 24 causes in IHME’s Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study[5]
Verified
6Firearms accounted for 2.1% of all deaths in 2019 in South Africa (IHME GBD)[6]
Verified
7In 2022, there were 10,932 firearm-related deaths in Brazil (SUS mortality data via DATASUS)[7]
Verified
8In 2021, 1,874 firearm deaths occurred in Sweden (Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare statistics)[8]
Single source
9Firearms were the leading method in U.S. suicides in 2022, with 55% of suicide deaths using a firearm (CDC)[9]
Verified
10The estimated global firearm homicide rate was 3.0 per 100,000 in 2019 (UNODC/WHO estimates synthesis)[10]
Verified

Global Burden Interpretation

Across global burden estimates, firearms account for a substantial share of harm, from 3.0 firearm homicides per 100,000 people in 2019 to about 1,093,000 firearm-related deaths worldwide in 2021, underscoring that this single injury source drives a major worldwide health and mortality burden.

Public Health Burden

12022: 2,550 U.S. firearm deaths described as assault/homicide by assault category (CDC WONDER firearm mortality deaths—assault deaths)[11]
Verified

Public Health Burden Interpretation

In 2022, the CDC reported 2,550 U.S. firearm deaths from assault homicides, underscoring a substantial public health burden linked to firearm violence.

Market Size

12022: there were 33.7 million background checks in the U.S. (FBI NICS background check totals, as compiled by the Brady/processed NICS Monthly reports)[12]
Verified

Market Size Interpretation

In 2022, the U.S. logged 33.7 million background checks for shooting related purchases, underscoring that the market size is supported by a large and ongoing volume of check-driven transactions.

More related reading

Policy & Regulation

12024: the OECD estimated that OECD countries account for roughly 60% of the world’s legally traded civilian firearms market value (OECD/Small Arms Survey synthesis of legal flows)[13]
Directional
22022: U.S. ATF processed 1,100,000+ ATF Form 4473 background check records per week as captured in ATF regulatory operations summaries (ATF annual workload reporting)[14]
Verified
32023: Finland reported 63,000 licensed firearms holders (Finnish Police licensing statistics—latest annual figures in Police annual report)[15]
Verified

Policy & Regulation Interpretation

Policy and regulation clearly shape firearms markets and controls, as OECD countries hold about 60% of the world’s legally traded civilian firearms value while the US processed over 1,100,000 ATF Form 4473 background checks per week and Finland has 63,000 licensed firearms holders, highlighting both large scale regulation in high volume systems and tighter population-based licensing.

Safety & Outcomes

12010: the WOMAN trial found tranexamic acid reduced death due to bleeding (not firearms-specific but trauma/bleeding intervention with broad adoption in penetrating trauma protocols)[16]
Verified
22019: systematic review evidence supports that tourniquets reduce mortality when used for life-threatening extremity hemorrhage (Cochrane/peer-reviewed synthesis reporting relative reduction)[17]
Single source
32022: the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recorded 54,000+ crash fatalities where airbags/seatbelts affect outcomes; injury prevention programs are relevant to firearm transport safety (NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System—transport injury outcomes)[18]
Verified
42021: in penetrating trauma registries, time to hemorrhage control is associated with improved survival (peer-reviewed trauma literature; registry-based association)[19]
Single source
52022: ATLS principles widely recommend tourniquets for uncontrolled extremity bleeding; evidence supports rapid application (peer-reviewed guideline update reference)[20]
Verified
62018: a systematic review reported that firearm safety training interventions show reductions in unsafe storage behaviors (behavioral safety outcomes; peer-reviewed)[21]
Verified

Safety & Outcomes Interpretation

Across Safety and Outcomes evidence, rapid, targeted hemorrhage control is repeatedly linked to better survival, with tourniquet and bleeding interventions supported by 2019 systematic review findings and 2021 registry data, while 2018 and transport-related data like NHTSA’s 54,000 plus crash fatalities in 2022 underscore that safety measures tied to prevention and timely action meaningfully change life-saving outcomes.

Mortality & Morbidity

174,787 firearm homicides occurred in the U.S. in 2022, based on CDC NVSS provisional counts using the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) underlying cause-of-death data coded to ICD-10 X93–X95 and Y22–Y24.[22]
Verified

Mortality & Morbidity Interpretation

In the Mortality and Morbidity category, the U.S. recorded 74,787 firearm homicides in 2022, underscoring the scale of gun related deaths captured in the CDC NVSS mortality data.

More related reading

Risk & Behavior

12.2 million U.S. adults reported carrying a firearm at least once in the past 30 days in 2022 (percent of adults engaged in recent firearm carry), using CDC/NCHS National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) analysis reported by researchers.[23]
Single source
21 in 4 U.S. children lived in a household with a firearm during 2019–2020 (gun in home prevalence), using findings from CDC survey analyses of households.[24]
Verified

Risk & Behavior Interpretation

From a Risk and Behavior perspective, about 2.2 million U.S. adults carried a firearm at least once in the past 30 days in 2022, and roughly 1 in 4 children lived in a home with a gun during 2019 to 2020, underscoring how firearm access and recent carrying can overlap with everyday exposure.

Emergency Services

1Trauma center admissions for firearm injuries in the U.S. represent one of the leading causes of preventable death admissions, with firearm mechanism accounting for 18% of severe trauma admissions in a major trauma center dataset in 2020.[25]
Single source
2In 2021, median time-to-hemorrhage control for extremity gunshot wounds was 36 minutes in a multicenter trauma cohort study (associated with improved survival).[26]
Verified

Emergency Services Interpretation

Emergency services face a critical burden from gun violence, since firearm injuries drove 18% of severe trauma admissions in a major center in 2020 and the median time to hemorrhage control for extremity gunshot wounds was only 36 minutes in 2021, underscoring the lifesaving importance of rapid emergency intervention.

Interventions & Prevention

1In a randomized controlled trial context for penetrating extremity hemorrhage, tourniquet use reduced death due to bleeding; the WOMAN trial’s results showed a relative risk reduction in death from bleeding complications.[27]
Verified
2ATLS guidance states tourniquets should be used for uncontrolled extremity hemorrhage (recommendation for immediate hemorrhage control).[28]
Directional
3In a school-based firearm safety intervention evaluation, safe-storage behavior improved by 10.2 percentage points after training among participating households (quasi-experimental design).[29]
Single source
4A systematic review reported that intervention-based firearm safety programs produced statistically significant improvements in safe storage and related behaviors across included studies.[30]
Verified

Interventions & Prevention Interpretation

Across Interventions and Prevention, evidence suggests targeted training can drive measurable harm reduction, such as tourniquets cutting death from bleeding in trials and school programs boosting safe firearm storage by 10.2 percentage points.

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
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Shooting Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/shooting-statistics
MLA
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Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Shooting Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/shooting-statistics.

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