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Pro Quotes
The Editors of Scientific American state:
“The science is abundantly clear: More guns do not stop crime. Guns kill more children each year than auto accidents. More children die by gunfire in a year than on-duty police officers and active military members. Guns are a public health crisis, just like COVID, and in this, we are failing our children, over and over again….
Science points to laws that would work to reduce shootings, to lower death. Among the simplest would be better permitting laws with fewer loopholes. When Missouri repealed its permit law, gun-related killings increased by 25 percent. Another would be to ban people who are convicted of violent crime from buying a gun. In California, before the state passed such a law, people convicted of crimes were almost 30 percent more likely to be arrested again for a gun or violent crime than those who, after the law, couldn’t buy a gun.
Such laws, plus red flag laws and those taking guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and people who abuse alcohol, would lower our gun violence rate as a nation.
—Editors of Scientific American, “The Science Is Clear: Gun Control Saves Lives,” scientificamerican.com, May 26, 2022
Everytown for Gun Safety, a gun control advocacy group, states:
“When we compare the states head-to-head on the top 50 gun safety policies, a clear pattern emerges. States with strong laws see less gun violence. Indeed, the 14 states that have failed to put basic protections into place—’national failures’ on our scale—have nearly triple the rate of gun deaths as the eight national gun safety leaders….
All states should start with a core group of five foundational laws—passing background checks and/or purchase permitting, along with Extreme Risk laws and secure gun storage requirements; and rejecting Shoot First (also known as Stand Your Ground) and permitless carry laws. While each of the top 14 states in the gun law rankings has all five of these policies in place, only one of the bottom 14 states has even one of these critical protections.”
—Everytown for Gun Safety, “Gun Safety Policies Save Lives,” everytownresearch.org, Jan. 12, 2023
Jacqui Lewis, Senior Minister of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City, and Sharon Brous, Senior Rabbi of IKAR in Los Angeles state:
“We are clergy members. Our work is to comfort the bereaved. It’s also to fight for a more just and loving society in which human beings are not cruelly killed by the tens of thousands every year because the gun lobby has a stranglehold on Congress.
It’s been 25 years since the federal government enacted any gun safety law. That’s 25 years of grief and devastation that could have been prevented.
Our faiths teach us that every person is created in God’s own image and endowed with inestimable worth by virtue of being human. Every life is precious and a gift from God, and guns destroy that Divine presence 100 times every day on the streets of this country. That is an affront we simply cannot abide.
Members of Congress: We beseech you to listen to your constituents.
We will never accept gun massacres, gun murders and gun suicides as inevitable or acceptable. Now is the time to find your moral courage. It is that simple; you must stand on the side of what is safe, just and right.”
—Jacqui Lewis and Sharon Brous, “As Mass Shootings Mount, Enacting Stricter Gun Laws Is the Morally Right Thing to Do,” usatoday, Apr. 16, 2021
Con Arguments
(Go to Pro Arguments)Con 1: The Second Amendment of the US Constitution protects individual gun ownership.
The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Gun ownership is an American tradition older than the country itself and is protected by the Second Amendment; more gun control laws would infringe upon the right to bear arms. Justice Antonin Scalia in the June 26, 2008, District of Columbia et al. v. Heller U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion syllabus stated, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.” [3]
The McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010) ruling also stated that the Second Amendment is an individual right. [51]
Lawrence Hunter, chairman of Revolution PAC, stated, “The Founders understood that the right to own and bear laws is as fundamental and as essential to maintaining liberty as are the rights of free speech, a free press, freedom of religion and the other protections against government encroachments on liberty delineated in the Bill of Rights.” [52]
The Second Amendment was intended to protect gun ownership of all able-bodied men so that they could participate in the militia to keep the peace and defend the country if needed. According to the United States Code, a “militia” is composed of all “able-bodied males at least 17 years of age… under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard.” Therefore, the militia mentioned in the Second Amendment would have been composed of almost all adult men and, in turn, that most adult men should not have their right to own firearms infringed. [99][100]
Con 2: Gun control laws are discriminatory and infringe on citizens’ rights.
Current gun control laws are frequently aimed at inner city, poor, black communities who are perceived as more dangerous than white gun owners. Charles Gallagher, chair of sociology at LaSalle University, stated that some gun control laws are still founded on racial fears: “Whites walking down Main Street with an AK-47 are defenders of American values; a black man doing the same thing is Public Enemy No. 1.” [94][95][96]
In the late 1960s, gun control laws were enacted in reaction to the militant, gun-carrying Black Panthers. Adam Winkler, UCLA constitutional law professor, stated “The KKK began as a gun-control organization. Before the Civil War, blacks were never allowed to own guns” so, after the Civil War, there was “constant pressure among white racists to keep guns out of the hands of African Americans because they would rise up and revolt.” For example, in Virginia, in response to Nat Turner’s Rebellion (also called the Southampton Rebellion, in which enslaved people killed 55 to 65 people in the most fatal slave uprising in the United States) in 1831, a law was passed that prohibited free black people “to keep or carry any firelock of any kind, any military weapon, or any powder or lead and all laws allowing free black people to possess firearms were repealed. [97][98]
Background checks and micro-stamping are an invasion of privacy. Background checks require government databases that keep personal individual information on gun owners, including name, addresses, mental health history, criminal records, and more. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) worried that Senator Harry Reid’s 2013 proposed background check legislation (the bill failed 54-46) would have allowed the government to keep databases of gun purchases indefinitely, creating a “worry that you’re going to see searches of the databases and an expansion for purposes that were not intended when the information was collected.” Micro-stamping similarly requires a database of gun owners and the codes their personal guns would stamp on cartridge cases. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) wrote that they would oppose any legislation that infringes “on the American people’s constitutional right to bear arms, or on their ability to exercise this right without being subjected to government surveillance.” [77][78][79][80]
Gun control laws infringe upon the right to self-defense and deny people a sense of safety. The police cannot protect everyone all of the time. 61% of men and 56% of women surveyed by Pew Research said that stricter gun laws would “make it more difficult for people to protect their homes and families.” Nelson Lund, professor at George Mason University School of Law, stated, “The right to self-defense and to the means of defending oneself is a basic natural right that grows out of the right to life” and “many [gun control laws] interfere with the ability of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves against violent criminals.” A Pew Foundation report found that 79% of male gun owners and 80% of female gun owners said owning a gun made them feel safer and 64% of people living in a home in which someone else owns a gun felt safer. Even the late Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), a gun control advocate, carried a concealed gun when her life was threatened and her home attacked by the New World Liberation Front in the 1970s. [58][59][64]
Gun control laws, especially those that try to ban “assault weapons,” infringe upon the right to own guns for hunting and sport. In 2011, there were 13.7 million hunters 16 years old or older in the United States, High-powered semiautomatic rifles and shotguns are used to hunt and in target shooting tournaments each year. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, “So-called ‘Assault weapons’ are more often than not less powerful than other hunting rifles. The term ‘assault weapon’ was conjured up by anti-gun legislators to scare voters into thinking these firearms are something out of a horror movie… [T]he Colt AR-15 and Springfield M1A, both labeled ‘assault weapons,’ are the rifles most used for marksmanship competitions in the United States. And their cartridges are standard hunting calibers, useful for game up to and including deer.” According to a Feb. 2013 Pew Research report, 32% of gun owners owned guns for hunting and 7% owned guns for target or sport shooting. [55][65][66][67][68]
Con 3: Gun control laws simply do not work.
Gun control efforts have proved ineffective. According to David Lampo, Publications Director of the Cato Institute, “there is no correlation between waiting periods and murder or robbery rates.” Banning high-capacity magazines will not necessarily deter crime because even small gun magazines can be changed in seconds.The “gun show loophole” is virtually nonexistent because commercial dealers, who sell the majority of guns at shows and elsewhere, are bound by strict federal laws. According to a Mar. 10, 2016 Lancet study, most state-level gun control laws do not reduce firearm death rates, and, of 25 state laws, nine were associated with higher gun death rates. [102][148]
Mexico has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world and yet, in 2012, Mexico had 11,309 gun murders (9.97 gun homicides per 100,000 people) compared to the United States that had 9,146 gun homicides (2.97 per 100,000 people). The country has only one legal gun store (the Directorate of Arms and Munitions Sales), compared to at least 63,709 legal gun stores and pawn shops in the United States as of Feb. 10, 2014. Mexico’s gun store is on a secure military base and customers must present a valid ID, go through a metal detector, and turn over cellphones and cameras to guards. To actually buy a gun, customers have to show proof of honest income, provide references, pass a criminal background check, prove any military duties were completed with honor, and be fingerprinted and photographed. If allowed to purchase a gun, the customer may buy only one gun (choosing from only .38 caliber pistols or lower) and one box of bullets. Between 2006 and 2010, Mexico’s one gun shop sold 6,490 guns, yet as of 2012, Mexicans own about 15,000,000 guns, or about 13.5 guns per 100 people. [44][88][89][90][91][92][93]
The main reason gun control doesn’t work is because laws will not prevent criminals from obtaining guns or breaking laws. Of 62 mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and 2012, 49 of the shooters used legally obtained guns. Collectively, 143 guns were possessed by the killers with about 75% obtained legally. A Secret Service analysis found that of 24 mass shootings in 2019 at least 10 (42%) involved illegally possessed guns. [69][176]
The logical conclusion is that gun control laws do not deter crime; gun ownership deters crime. A study in Applied Economics Letters found that “assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level” and “states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murders.” While gun ownership doubled in the twentieth century, the murder rate decreased. Journalist John Stossel explains, “Criminals don’t obey the law… Without the fear of retaliation from victims who might be packing heat, criminals in possession of these [illegal] weapons now have a much easier job… As the saying goes, ‘If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.’” [53][56][103]
More gun control is not needed; education about guns and gun safety is needed to prevent accidental gun deaths. 95% of all US gun owners believe that children should learn about gun safety. The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc (SAAMI), stated, “Whether in the field, at the range or in the home, a responsible and knowledgeable gun owner is rarely involved in a firearms accident of any kind.” According to Kyle Wintersteen, managing editor of Guns and Ammo, studies show that “children taught about firearms and their legitimate uses by family members have much lower rates of delinquency than children in households without guns” and “children introduced to guns associate them with freedom, security, and recreation—not violence.” [82] [85] [154][82] [85] [154][82][85][82][85][154]
Con 4: Gun control laws give too much power to the government and may result in government tyranny and the government taking away all guns from citizens.
57% of people surveyed by Pew Research in Feb. 2013 said that gun control laws would “give too much power to the government over the people.” [58][58]
The NRA’s Wayne LaPierre stated, “if you look at why our Founding Fathers put it [the Second Amendment] there, they had lived under the tyranny of King George and they wanted to make sure that these free people in this new country would never be subjugated again and have to live under tyranny.” [75]
Concurring, Alex Jones, radio host, stated, “The Second Amendment isn’t there for duck hunting, it’s there to protect us from tyrannical government and street thugs… 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms!” [76]
The Libertarian Party stated, “A responsible, well-armed and trained citizenry is the best protection against domestic crime and the threat of foreign invasion.” Counsel for the NRA explains, “It is evident that the framers of the Constitution did not intend to limit the right to keep and bear arms to a formal military body or organized militia, but intended to provide for an ‘unorganized’ armed citizenry prepared to assist in the common defense against a foreign invader or a domestic tyrant.” [86][87]
Marco Rubio (R-FL), U.S. Senator, speaking about gun control laws during his 2016 presidential campaign, stated, “If God forbid, ISIS visits our life, our neighborhood, our school, any part of us, the last thing standing, the last line of defense could very well be our ability to protect ourselves.” [149]
Con Quotes
The NRA-ILA, the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association, states:
“Gun control is an umbrella term that refers to laws and ordinances that restrict how law-abiding citizens can buy, own, or use firearms. These vary at the federal, state, and local levels….
These laws have been in place for decades, and by now, the evidence is crystal clear. Gun control doesn’t work.
Criminals, by definition, do not obey the law. Gun control laws only affect law-abiding people who go through legal avenues to obtain firearms.
Criminals overwhelmingly obtain their firearms through illegal channels and will never be deterred by state and federal laws. That’s why background checks have virtually no impact on criminals.
Even if criminals did submit to background checks, we’ve seen that these checks aren’t effective at stopping those who intend to use guns to commit crimes.
Consider the following scenarios.
A person with no criminal history walks into a store to buy a gun they’ll use to commit a crime. A background check most likely won’t stop them.
A drug addict lies about their addiction on a federal background check form. Although this individual is committing a federal crime, a background check most likely won’t stop them.
A person with serious mental health issues but no history of treatment or institutionalization goes to buy a gun. A background check most likely won’t stop them.
It makes sense then that background checks have no impact on violent crime.”
—NRA-ILA, “Why Gun Control Doesn’t Work,” nraila.org (accessed July 19, 2023)
The Editors of the National Review state:
“On Monday [July 4, 2022], in the city of Highland Park, Ill., a deranged goblin of a man opened fire on a July 4 parade, killing seven innocent people and wounding three dozen others. After an intense search, the culprit was apprehended and taken into custody. Yet again, a mass shooting has sullied America.
And, yet again, it is unclear what lawmakers can do to prevent the next one. Just weeks ago, the Senate passed a gun-control bill that Chris Murphy described as “the most significant piece of anti-gun violence legislation in nearly 30 years.” Today, posturing as if nothing has been done recently, Democrats are asking for more. But what, exactly, does that mean? A red-flag law? Illinois already has one. A permitting system for the purchase and ownership of guns? Illinois has that, too. “Universal” background checks? That’s already Illinois law. What about “assault weapons” and “high-capacity” magazines? Highland Park has banned both since 2013. Concealed carry? That was prohibited at the parade under an Illinois law that renders it illegal to carry firearms at “any public gathering held pursuant to a license issued by any governmental body.” Straw purchasing? That’s already illegal, and, besides, the gun was obtained legally….
Because they are, relatively speaking, so rare and so unpredictable — and because America is so free — mass shootings remain one of the most intractable forms of crime….
Americans would do well to set incidents such as this one in their proper context. Random acts of violence are, indeed, terrifying, but they are terrifying because they are so rare.”
—Editors of the National Review, “When Gun Laws Don’t Prevent Gun Crime,” nationalreview.com, July 6, 2022
Laura Carno, senior fellow emeritus at Independent Women’s Forum, states:
“In short, gun control legislation does not focus on the root causes of human behavior, including violence, crime, and untreated mental illness. At the heart of gun control initiatives is the hope that criminals will obey the law, but, in fact, they rarely do.
Congress, as well as state legislatures, would have us think that just one more gun-control law will magically reduce crime. But they have been saying that for decades, with no evidence of improvement. Then they offer the same legislation again.
Instead of reducing crime, new gun control legislation would:
—Laura Carno, “Two Truths And A Lie: Gun Control Doesn’t Keep Us Safer,” iwf.org, Oct. 4, 2022
International Civilian Gun Ownership Rates
The United States has 120.5 guns for every 100 people, or about 393,347,000 firearms, which means that 45.88% of the world’s civilian guns are held by 4.32% of the world’s population. Collectively, the citizens of the other 229 countries listed below own about 464,049,100 guns. Though the data is from 2017, it is the most current available. [200]
Population percentages are based on a 2017 global population estimate of 7,550,262,101 provided by worldometers.info.
| Rank | Country | Total Number of Guns | Number of Guns per 100 People | Percentage of Global Guns Total | Percentage of World Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World | 857,396,100 | 1.1 | 100% | 100% | |
| 1 | United States | 393,347,000 | 120.5 | 45.88% | 4.32% |
| 2 | India | 71,101,000 | 5.3 | 8.29% | 17.78% |
| 3 | China | 49,735,000 | 3.6 | 5.80% | 18.39% |
| 4 | Pakistan | 43,917,000 | 22.3 | 5.12% | 2.61% |
| 5 | Russian Federation | 17,620,000 | 12.3 | 2.06% | 1.90% |
| 6 | Brazil | 17,510,000 | 8.3 | 2.04% | 2.80% |
| 7 | Mexico | 16,809,000 | 12.9 | 1.96% | 1.72% |
| 8 | Germany | 15,822,000 | 19.6 | 1.85% | 1.07% |
| 9 | Yemen | 14,859,000 | 52.8 | 1.73% | 0.37% |
| 10 | Turkey | 13,249,000 | 16.5 | 1.55% | 1.07% |
| 11 | France | 12,732,000 | 19.6 | 1.48% | 0.86% |
| 12 | Canada | 12,708,000 | 34.7 | 1.48% | 0.49% |
| 13 | Thailand | 10,342,000 | 15.1 | 1.21% | 0.90% |
| 14 | Italy | 8,609,000 | 14.4 | 1.00% | 0.79% |
| 15 | Iraq | 7,588,000 | 19.6 | 0.89% | 0.51% |
| 16 | Nigeria | 6,154,000 | 3.2 | 0.72% | 2.54% |
| 17 | Venezuela | 5,895,000 | 18.5 | 0.69% | 0.42% |
| 18 | Iran | 5,890,000 | 7.3 | 0.69% | 1.07% |
| 19 | Saudi Arabia | 5,468,000 | 16.7 | 0.64% | 0.43% |
| 20 | South Africa | 5,351,000 | 9.7 | 0.62% | 0.73% |
| 21 | Colombia | 4,971,000 | 10.1 | 0.58% | 0.65% |
| 22 | Ukraine | 4,396,000 | 9.9 | 0.51% | 0.59% |
| 23 | Afghanistan | 4,270,000 | 12.5 | 0.50% | 0.45% |
| 24 | Egypt | 3,931,000 | 4.1 | 0.46% | 1.26% |
| 25 | Philippines | 3,776,000 | 3.6 | 0.44% | 1.37% |
| 26 | Australia | 3,573,000 | 14.5 | 0.42% | 0.33% |
| 27 | Spain | 3,464,000 | 7.5 | 0.40% | 0.61% |
| 28 | Argentina | 3,256,000 | 7.4 | 0.38% | 0.59% |
| 29 | Angola | 2,982,000 | 11.2 | 0.35% | 0.35% |
| 30 | Sudan | 2,768,000 | 6.6 | 0.32% | 0.56% |
| 31 | England and Wales | 2,731,000 | 4.6 | 0.32% | 0.78% |
| 32 | Serbia | 2,719,000 | 39.1 | 0.32% | 0.09% |
| 33 | Austria | 2,577,000 | 30 | 0.30% | 0.11% |
| 34 | Switzerland | 2,332,000 | 27.6 | 0.27% | 0.11% |
| 35 | Sweden | 2,296,000 | 23.1 | 0.27% | 0.13% |
| 36 | Ghana | 2,280,000 | 8 | 0.27% | 0.38% |
| 37 | Chile | 2,220,000 | 12.1 | 0.26% | 0.24% |
| 38 | Portugal | 2,186,000 | 21.3 | 0.25% | 0.14% |
| 39 | Guatemala | 2,062,000 | 12.1 | 0.24% | 0.23% |
| 40 | Lebanon | 1,927,000 | 31.9 | 0.22% | 0.08% |
| 41 | Greece | 1,920,000 | 17.6 | 0.22% | 0.14% |
| 42 | Finland | 1,793,000 | 32.4 | 0.21% | 0.07% |
| 43 | Morocco | 1,690,000 | 4.8 | 0.20% | 0.47% |
| 44 | United Arab Emirates | 1,569,000 | 16.7 | 0.18% | 0.12% |
| 45 | Vietnam | 1,562,000 | 1.6 | 0.18% | 1.26% |
| 46 | Syrian Arab Republic | 1,547,000 | 8.2 | 0.18% | 0.25% |
| 47 | Norway | 1,537,000 | 28.8 | 0.18% | 0.07% |
| 48 | Jordan | 1,473,000 | 18.7 | 0.17% | 0.10% |
| 49 | Belgium | 1,451,000 | 12.7 | 0.17% | 0.15% |
| 50 | Mozambique | 1,337,000 | 4.5 | 0.16% | 0.39% |
| 51 | Czech Republic | 1,323,000 | 12.5 | 0.15% | 0.14% |
| 52 | South Sudan | 1,255,000 | 9.6 | 0.15% | 0.17% |
| 53 | New Zealand | 1,212,000 | 26.3 | 0.14% | 0.06% |
| 54 | Uruguay | 1,198,000 | 34.7 | 0.14% | 0.05% |
| 55 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1,185,000 | 31.2 | 0.14% | 0.05% |
| 56 | Honduras | 1,171,000 | 14.1 | 0.14% | 0.11% |
| 57 | Somalia (South Central) | 1,145,000 | 12.4 | 0.13% | 0.12% |
| 58 | Paraguay | 1,140,000 | 16.7 | 0.13% | 0.90% |
| 59 | Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) | 1,049,000 | 4.4 | 0.12% | 0.32% |
| 60 | Hungary | 1,023,00 | 10.5 | 0.12% | 0.13% |
| 61 | Poland | 968,000 | 2.5 | 0.11% | 0.51% |
| 62 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 946,000 | 1.2 | 0.11% | 1.09% |
| 63 | Algeria | 877,000 | 2.1 | 0.10% | 0.54% |
| 64 | Myanmar | 877,000 | 1.6 | 0.10% | 0.73% |
| 65 | Libya | 851,000 | 13.3 | 0.08% | 0.73% |
| 66 | Dominican Republic | 795,000 | 7.4 | 0.09% | 0.14% |
| 67 | Oman | 792,000 | 16.7 | 0.09% | 0.06% |
| 68 | Kenya | 750,000 | 1.5 | 0.09% | 0.64% |
| 69 | El Salvador | 737 | 12 | 0.09% | 0.08% |
| 70 | Cambodia | 717,000 | 4.5 | 0.08% | 0.21% |
| 71 | Kuwait | 685,000 | 16.7 | 0.08 | 0.05% |
| 72 | Bangladesh | 659000 | 0.4 | 0.08% | 2.18% |
| 73 | Peru | 633,000 | 2 | 0.07% | 0.43% |
| 74 | Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of) | 621,000 | 29.8 | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| 75 | Bulgaria | 590,000 | 8.4 | 0.07% | 0.09% |
| 76 | Belarus | 581,000 | 6.1 | 0.07% | 0.13% |
| 77 | Croatia | 576,000 | 13.7 | 0.07% | 0.06% |
| 78 | Denmark | 567,000 | 9.9 | 0.07% | 0.08% |
| 79 | Israel | 557,000 | 6.7 | 0.06% | 0.11% |
| 80 | Cameroon | 510,000 | 2.1 | 0.06% | 0.32% |
| 81 | Romania | 506,000 | 2.6 | 0.06% | 0.25% |
| 82 | Kazakhstan | 504,000 | 2.8 | 0.06% | 0.24% |
| 83 | Sri Lanka | 494,000 | 2.4 | 0.06% | 0.28% |
| 84 | Costa Rica | 493,000 | 10 | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| 85 | Somaliland | 456,000 | 11.9 | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 86 | Zimbabwe | 455,000 | 2.8 | 0.05% | 0.22% |
| 87 | Nepal | 444,000 | 1.5 | 0.05% | 0.39% |
| 88 | Netherlands | 442,000 | 2.6 | 0.05% | 0.23% |
| 89 | Kosovo | 436,000 | 23.8 | 0.05% | 0.02% |
| 90 | Panama | 436,000 | 10.8 | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 91 | Tanzania (United Republic of) | 427,000 | 0.8 | 0.05% | 0.75% |
| 92 | Puerto Rico | 422,000 | 11.5 | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 93 | Georgia | 402,000 | 10.1 | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| 94 | Ecuador | 402,000 | 2.4 | 0.05% | 0.22% |
| 95 | Namibia | 396,000 | 15.4 | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| 96 | Qatar | 390,000 | 16.7 | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| 97 | Lithuania | 385,000 | 13.6 | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| 98 | Ethiopia | 377,000 | 0.4 | 0.04% | 1.38% |
| 99 | Japan | 377,000 | 0.3 | 0.04% | 1.67% |
| 100 | Azerbaijan | 362,000 | 3.6 | 0.04% | 0.13% |
| 101 | Slovakia | 355 | 6.5 | 0.04% | 0.07% |
| 102 | Albania | 350,000 | 12 | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| 103 | Ireland | 342,000 | 7.2 | 0.04% | 0.06% |
| 104 | Uganda | 331,000 | 0.8 | 0.04% | 0.55% |
| 105 | Slovenia | 324,000 | 15.6 | 0.04% | 0.03% |
| 106 | Nicaragua | 323,000 | 5.2 | 0.04% | 0.08% |
| 107 | Senegal | 323,000 | 2 | 0.04% | 0.21% |
| 108 | Scotland | 305,000 | 5.6 | 0.04% | 0.07% |
| 109 | Haiti | 291,000 | 2.6 | 0.03% | 0.15% |
| 110 | Cyprus (Republic of) | 285,000 | 34 | 0.03% | 0.01% |
| 111 | Hong Kong (SAR China) | 265,000 | 3.6 | 0.03% | 0.10% |
| 112 | Puntland | 246,000 | 12.3 | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| 113 | Jamaica | 246,000 | 8.8 | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| 114 | Montenegro | 245,000 | 39.1 | 0.03% | 0.01% |
| 115 | Mongolia | 242,000 | 7.9 | 0.03% | 0.04% |
| 116 | Burundi | 238,000 | 2 | 0.03% | 0.16% |
| 117 | Cuba | 234,000 | 2.1 | 0.03% | 0.15% |
| 118 | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 218,000 | 2 | 0.03% | 0.15% |
| 119 | Malaysia | 217,000 | 0.7 | 0.03% | 0.41% |
| 120 | Lao People’s Democratic Republic | 215,000 | 3 | 0.03% | 0.09% |
| 121 | Northern Ireland | 206,000 | 11 | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| 122 | Mali | 206,000 | 1.1 | 0.02% | 0.25% |
| 123 | Latvia | 205,000 | 10.5 | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| 124 | Armenia | 186,000 | 6.1 | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| 125 | Bahrain | 181,000 | 12.8 | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| 126 | Burkina Faso | 175,000 | 0.9 | 0.02% | 0.25% |
| 127 | Reunion | 171,000 | 19.6 | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| 128 | Kyrgyzstan | 171,000 | 2.8 | 0.02% | 0.08% |
| 129 | Madagascar | 168,000 | 0.7 | 0.02% | 0.34% |
| 130 | Zambia | 158,000 | 0.9 | 0.02% | 0.23% |
| 131 | Chad | 151,000 | 1 | 0.02% | 0.20% |
| 132 | Gambia | 137,000 | 6.5 | 0.02% | 0.03% |
| 133 | Guinea | 130,000 | 1 | 0.02% | 0.18% |
| 134 | Uzbekistan | 127,000 | 0.4 | 0.01% | 0.41% |
| 135 | Tunisia | 123,000 | 1.1 | 0.01% | 0.15% |
| 136 | Guyana | 122,000 | 15.8 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| 137 | Moldova (Republic of) | 121,000 | 3 | 0.01 | 0.05% |
| 138 | Mauritania | 120,000 | 2.8 | 0.01% | 0.06% |
| 139 | Malta | 119,000 | 28.3 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| 140 | Congo (Republic of) | 119,000 | 2.4 | 0.01% | 0.06% |
| 141 | Niger | 117,000 | 0.5 | 0.01% | 0.29% |
| 142 | New Calcedonia | 115,000 | 42.5 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| 143 | Equatorial Guinea | 112,000 | 12.5 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| 144 | Luxembourg | 110,000 | 18.9 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| 145 | Iceland | 106,000 | 31.7 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| 146 | Mauritius | 106,000 | 8.3 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| 147 | Lesotho | 105,00 | 4.8 | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| 148 | Botswana | 97,000 | 4.1 | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| 149 | Liberia | 97,000 | 2.1 | 0.01% | 0.06% |
| 150 | Central African Republic | 94,000 | 1.8 | 0.01% | 0.07% |
| 151 | Suriname | 88,000 | 15.9 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| 152 | Indonesia | 82,000 | 0 | 0.01% | 3.49% |
| 153 | Papua New Guinea | 79,000 | 1 | 0.01% | 0.11% |
| 154 | Republic of Korea (South) | 79,000 | 0.2 | 0.01% | 0.67% |
| 155 | Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North) | 76,000 | 0.3 | 0.01% | 0.34% |
| 156 | Bahamas | 74,000 | 18.8 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| 157 | Rwanda | 66,000 | 0.5 | 0.01% | 0.16% |
| 158 | Estonia | 65,000 | 5 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| 159 | Swaziland | 64,000 | 4.8 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| 160 | North Cyprus | 61,000 | 17.4 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| 161 | Gabon | 61,000 | 3.4 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| 162 | Togo | 58,000 | 0.8 | 0.01% | 0.10% |
| 163 | Palestine Territories | 56,000 | 1.1 | 0.01% | 0.07% |
| 164 | French Guinea | 55,000 | 19.6 | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| 165 | Malawi | 47,000 | 0.3 | 0.01% | 0.24% |
| 166 | Trinidad and Tobago | 43,000 | 3.2 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| 167 | Guadeloupe | 40,000 | 8.5 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 168 | Belize | 37,000 | 10 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 169 | Tajikistan | 37,000 | 0.4 | 0.00% | 0.12% |
| 170 | Sierra Leone | 35,000 | 0.5 | 0.00% | 0.09% |
| 171 | Martinique | 34,000 | 8.5 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 172 | Benin | 33,000 | 0.3 | 0.00% | 0.15% |
| 173 | Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) | 31,000 | 5.7 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 174 | Guinea-Bissau | 29,000 | 1.5 | 0.00% | 0.03% |
| 175 | Dijbouti | 28,000 | 3.1 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 176 | Channel Islands | 23,000 | 14 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 177 | Maldives | 23,000 | 6.2 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 178 | Turkmenistan | 23,000 | 0.4 | 0.00% | 0.07% |
| 179 | Eritrea | 23,000 | 0.4 | 0.00% | 0..07% |
| 180 | Macao (China Special Administrative Region) | 22,000 | 3.6 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 181 | Guam | 20,000 | 11.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 182 | Samoa | 20,000 | 10.1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 183 | Singapore | 20,000 | 0.3 | 0.00% | 0.08% |
| 184 | Virgin Islands (US) | 18,000 | 16.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 185 | Greenland | 13,000 | 22.3 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 186 | Comoros | 12,000 | 1.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 187 | Liechtenstein | 11,000 | 28.8 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 188 | Vanuatu | 11,000 | 3.9 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 189 | Andorra | 10,000 | 14.1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 190 | Barbados | 10,000 | 3.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 191 | Taiwan (Republic of China) | 10,000 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.31% |
| 192 | Tonga | 9,000 | 8 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 193 | Monaco | 7,000 | 19.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 194 | Sao Tome and Principe | 7,000 | 3.4 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 195 | French Polynesia | 7,000 | 2.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 196 | Cayman Islands | 6,000 | 9.2 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 197 | Saint Lucia | 6,000 | 3.4 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 198 | Brunei Darussalam | 6,000 | 1.4 | 0.00% | 0..01% |
| 199 | Bhutan | 6,000 | 0.8 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 200 | San Marino | 5,000 | 14.4 | 0 | 0.00% |
| 201 | Faroe Islands | 5,000 | 9.9 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 202 | Dominica | 5,000 | 6.2 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 203 | Antigua and Barbuda | 5,000 | 5.4 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 204 | Grenada | 5,000 | 4.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 205 | Fiji | 5,000 | 0.5 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 206 | Seychelles | 4,000 | 4.1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 207 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 4,000 | 3.4 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 208 | Curacao | 4,000 | 2.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 209 | Saint Martin (France) | 3,000 | 8.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 210 | Bermuda | 3,000 | 4.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 211 | Aruba | 3,000 | 2.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 212 | Timor-Leste (East Timor) | 3,000 | 0.3 | 0.00% | 0.02% |
| 213 | Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | 2,000 | 62.1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 214 | Sint Maarten (Netherlands) | 2,000 | 4.2 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 215 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2,000 | 3.4 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 216 | Gibraltar | 1,000 | 4.1 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 217 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 1,000 | 3.3 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 218 | Northern Mariana Islands | 1,000 | 2.6 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 219 | Solomon Islands | 1,000 | 0.2 | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| 220 | Kiribati | 900 | 0.8 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 221 | Micronesia (Federated States of) | 700 | 0.7 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 222 | American Samoa | 400 | 0.7 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 223 | Montserrat | 300 | 5.4 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 224 | Virgin Islands (UK) | 300 | 0.8 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 225 | Marshall Islands | 300 | 0.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 226 | Tuvalu | 100 | 1.2 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 227 | Palau | 100 | 0.5 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 228 | Christmas Island | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 229 | Holy See | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 230 | Nauru | 0 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.00% |
International Firearm Homicide Rates
According to the Small Arms Survey, out of 224 countries the United States had the 47th highest firearm homicide rate at 5.2 murders per 100,000 people in 2019. El Salvador reported the highest rate in 2019 at 42.72 gun homicides per 100,000 people. Brazil had the highest total number of firearm homicides with 36,334, while the United States was third with 17,270 in 2019. Below, find the available data from Small Arms survey for the rates and numbers of firearms homicides for 2019 and 2010-2015. [201][202]
| Country | Rate of Firearm Homicides per 100,000 people (2019) | Number of Firearm Homicides (2019) | Firearm Homicide Rate per 100,000 People (2010-2015) | Number of Firearm Homicides (2010-2015) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 36 | 13,687 | 15 | 4,148 |
| Albania | 1.7 | 48 | 3 | 88 |
| Algeria | 0.4 | 170 | 1 | 530 |
| Andorra | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Angola | 0.6 | 193 | 2 | 340 |
| Anguilla | 6.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Antigua And Barbuda | 2.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Argentina | 4.6 | 2,048 | 3 | 1,062 |
| Armenia | 0.8 | 25 | 0 | 5 |
| Aruba | 0.9 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Australia | 0.6 | 163 | 0 | 34 |
| Austria | 0.2 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Azerbaijan | 0.3 | 35 | 0 | 22 |
| Bahamas | 25.2 | 98 | 25 | 91 |
| Bahrain | 0.1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Bangladesh | 0.3 | 421 | 1 | 1,918 |
| Barbados | 5.6 | 16 | 5 | 14 |
| Belarus | 0.6 | 54 | 0 | 12 |
| Belgium | 0.4 | 49 | 0 | 32 |
| Belize | 20.5 | 80 | 30 | 100 |
| Benin | 2.8 | 331 | 2 | 171 |
| Bermuda | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Bhutan | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bolivia | 3.2 | 367 | 6 | 657 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.3 | 11 | 1 | 40 |
| Botswana | 4.6 | 105 | 4 | 90 |
| Brazil | 17.2 | 36,334 | 19 | 38,494 |
| British Virgin Islands | 13.3 | 4 | no data | no data |
| Brunei Darussalam | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bulgaria | 0.7 | 48 | 0 | 24 |
| Burkina Faso | 6.6 | 1,338 | 2 | 355 |
| Burma | no data | no data | 1 | 703 |
| Burundi | 1.2 | 135 | 3 | 309 |
| Cambodia | 1.2 | 195 | 0 | 50 |
| Cameroon | 1.3 | 346 | 4 | 840 |
| Canada | 0.8 | 314 | 0 | 158 |
| Cape Verde | 7.5 | 41 | 4 | 18 |
| Cayman Islands | 1.5 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Central African Republic | 5.5 | 260 | 3 | 146 |
| Chad | 4 | 635 | 2 | 269 |
| Chile | 2.2 | 413 | 1 | 252 |
| China | 0 | 400 | 0 | 619 |
| China, Macao SAR | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Colombia | 22.4 | 11,276 | 27 | 12,442 |
| Comoros | 2.9 | 25 | 3 | 20 |
| Congo | 1 | 52 | 3 | 144 |
| Cook Islands | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Costa Rica | 9 | 455 | 6 | 278 |
| Cote d’Ivoire | 1.5 | 393 | 4 | 748 |
| Croatia | 0.5 | 19 | 0 | 17 |
| Cuba | 0.3 | 38 | 0 | 28 |
| Curaçao | 10.4 | 17 | no data | no data |
| Cyprus | 0.9 | 11 | 0 | 5 |
| Czech Republic | 0.2 | 20 | 0 | 16 |
| Democratic People’s Republic of Korea | 0.2 | 43 | 0 | 115 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1.9 | 1,665 | 5 | 3,434 |
| Denmark | 0.2 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
| Djibouti | 4.7 | 46 | 3 | 22 |
| Dominica | 2.8 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Dominican Republic | 7.3 | 779 | 13 | 1,356 |
| Ecuador | 1.8 | 316 | 7 | 842 |
| Egypt | 0.8 | 758 | 2 | 1,353 |
| El Salvador | 42.7 | 2,757 | 49 | 2,969 |
| England & Wales | 0.1 | 31 | 0 | 16 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 0.8 | 11 | 2 | 12 |
| Eritrea | 8.3 | 289 | 2 | 81 |
| Estonia | 0.4 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Ethiopia | 2.6 | 2,959 | 1 | 953 |
| Federated States of Micronesia | 0.9 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Fiji | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Finland | 0.3 | 14 | 0 | 16 |
| France | 0.4 | 266 | 0 | 138 |
| French Guiana | 7.9 | 23 | no data | no data |
| French Polynesia | 0.4 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Gabon | 0.8 | 17 | 4 | 71 |
| Gambia | 0.3 | 6 | 3 | 46 |
| Georgia | 1.4 | 55 | 0 | 8 |
| Germany | 0.1 | 101 | 0 | 55 |
| Ghana | 0.9 | 274 | 1 | 303 |
| Greece | 0.5 | 49 | 1 | 58 |
| Greenland | 1.8 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Grenada | 0.9 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Guadeloupe | 7 | 28 | no data | no data |
| Guam | 1.2 | 2 | no data | no data |
| Guatemala | 19.4 | 3,403 | 30 | 4,542 |
| Guinea | 1.6 | 198 | 3 | 323 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1.4 | 26 | 3 | 46 |
| Guyana | 12.9 | 101 | 10 | 78 |
| Haiti | 8 | 901 | 9 | 973 |
| Honduras | 36.5 | 3,560 | 67 | 5,218 |
| Hong Kong | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hungary | 0.1 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Iceland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| India | 0.7 | 10,043 | 0 | 3,498 |
| Indonesia | 0.1 | 252 | 0 | 406 |
| Islamic Republic of Iran | 0.9 | 772 | 2 | 1,561 |
| Iraq | 12 | 4,716 | 8 | 2,742 |
| Ireland | 0.2 | 11 | 0 | 14 |
| Israel | 1.3 | 115 | 1 | 73 |
| Italy | 0.4 | 270 | 0 | 210 |
| Jamaica | 12.5 | 369 | 32 | 882 |
| Japan | 0 | 32 | 0 | 14 |
| Jordan | 1.4 | 138 | 2 | 133 |
| Kazakhstan | 0.7 | 128 | 2 | 255 |
| Kenya | 3.7 | 1,922 | 2 | 1,016 |
| Kiribati | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Kosovo | 0.4 | 7 | no data | no data |
| Kuwait | 0.4 | 18 | 2 | 74 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 0.5 | 31 | 0 | 17 |
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic | 2.9 | 210 | 2 | 99 |
| Latvia | 0.5 | 10 | 0 | 5 |
| Lebanon | 1.3 | 92 | 2 | 97 |
| Lesotho | 6.5 | 139 | 19 | 383 |
| Liberia | 1 | 48 | 3 | 136 |
| Libya | 10.9 | 740 | 1 | 68 |
| Liechtenstein | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Lithuania | 0.4 | 11 | 0 | 7 |
| Luxembourg | 0.3 | 2 | no data | no data |
| Madagascar | 0.7 | 189 | 2 | 344 |
| Malawi | 0.7 | 131 | 0 | 16 |
| Malaysia | 0.5 | 146 | 0 | 87 |
| Maldives | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Mali | 8.1 | 1,602 | 3 | 508 |
| Malta | 0.5 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Marshall Islands | 1.7 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Martinique | 1.3 | 5 | no data | no data |
| Mauritania | 1.7 | 75 | 5 | 172 |
| Mauritius | 0.3 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| Mayotte | 0.4 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Mexico | 19.3 | 24,572 | 8 | 10,913 |
| Monaco | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Mongolia | 0.3 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| Montenegro | 1.3 | 8 | 2 | 12 |
| Montserrat | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Morocco | 0.6 | 206 | 0 | 0 |
| Mozambique | 2.3 | 713 | 1 | 170 |
| Myanmar | 1.3 | 727 | no data | no data |
| Namibia | 3.9 | 97 | 2 | 48 |
| Nauru | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nepal | 0.1 | 37 | 0 | 45 |
| Netherlands | 0.3 | 46 | 0 | 40 |
| New Caledonia | 0.7 | 2 | no data | no data |
| New Zealand | 1.4 | 66 | 0 | 5 |
| Nicaragua | 3.8 | 248 | 6 | 325 |
| Niger | 3.7 | 865 | 2 | 440 |
| Nigeria | 2.9 | 5,891 | 0 | 422 |
| Niue | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Norway | 0.1 | 5 | 0 | 20 |
| Oman | 0 | 1 | 2 | 87 |
| Pakistan | 1.1 | 2,429 | 5 | 9 |
| Palestine | 1.4 | 71 | 2 | 69 |
| Palau | 0 | 0 | no data | no data |
| Panama | 12.7 | 538 | 14 | 536 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1.3 | 116 | 3 | 201 |
| Paraguay | 8.7 | 615 | 9 | 585 |
| Peru | 1.9 | 612 | 4 | 1,347 |
| Philippines | 5.8 | 6,248 | 7 | 6,616 |
| Poland | 0.1 | 42 | 0 | 18 |
| Portugal | 0.5 | 56 | 0 | 32 |
| Puerto Rico | 24.7 | 726 | 25 | 932 |
| Qatar | 0.2 | 5 | 2 | 37 |
| Republic of Korea | 0 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Republic of Moldova | 0.3 | 14 | 0 | 12 |
| Reunion | 2 | 18 | no data | no data |
| Romania | 0.1 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| Russian Federation | 1 | 1,387 | 4 | 5,446 |
| Rwanda | 1.3 | 161 | 1 | 80 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 15.1 | 8 | 8 | 4 |
| Saint Lucia | 10.9 | 20 | 8 | 14 |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 17.2 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Saint Vincent And The Grenadines | 11.8 | 13 | no data | no data |
| Samoa | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| San Marino | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 2.3 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1.2 | 416 | 4 | 1,280 |
| Scotland | 0.4 | 22 | 0 | 2 |
| Senegal | 0.5 | 77 | 3 | 46 |
| Serbia | 1.1 | 95 | 1 | 53 |
| Seychelles | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Sierra Leone | 0.7 | 52 | 3 | 170 |
| Singapore | 0.2 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Slovakia | 0.3 | 18 | 0 | 11 |
| Slovenia | 0.2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Solomon Islands | 2.1 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| Somalia | 9.7 | 1,496 | 3 | 308 |
| South Africa | 6 | 3,520 | 19 | 10 |
| South Sudan | 7.4 | 816 | 2 | 252 |
| Spain | 0.2 | 84 | 0 | 61 |
| Sri Lanka | 1.3 | 267 | 1 | 223 |
| Sudan | 1.2 | 494 | 2 | 925 |
| Suriname | 3.4 | 20 | 1 | 6 |
| Swaziland | 4.5 | 52 | 11 | 134 |
| Sweden | 0.3 | 29 | 0 | 19 |
| Switzerland | 0.2 | 13 | 0 | 14 |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 34.8 | 5,935 | 1 | 109 |
| Taiwan | 0.2 | 37 | 0 | 87 |
| Tajikistan | 0.2 | 20 | 0 | 12 |
| The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia | 1.4 | 29 | 1 | 13 |
| Thailand | 2.4 | 1,673 | 4 | 2,741 |
| Timor-Leste | 0.9 | 12 | 0 | 5 |
| Togo | 2.6 | 211 | 4 | 18 |
| Tonga | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 18.6 | 260 | 24 | 320 |
| Tunisia | 0.2 | 29 | 1 | 86 |
| Turkey | 1.8 | 1,462 | 1 | 585 |
| Turkmenistan | 0.7 | 40 | 1 | 69 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 2.6 | 1 | no data | no data |
| Tuvalu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Uganda | 2.3 | 1,009 | 1 | 186 |
| Northern Ireland | 0.2 | 30 | no data | no data |
| Ukraine | 1.1 | 475 | 0 | 100 |
| United Arab Emirates | 0.5 | 46 | 2 | 180 |
| United Republic of Tanzania | 2.4 | 1,389 | 2 | 805 |
| United States | 5.2 | 17,270 | 3 | 8,592 |
| United States Virgin Islands | 35.4 | 37 | no data | no data |
| Uruguay | 8.5 | 295 | 4 | 120 |
| Uzbekistan | 0.1 | 35 | 1 | 221 |
| Vanuatu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Venezuela | 39.2 | 11,188 | 52 | 15,533 |
| Vietnam | 0.2 | 155 | 0 | 252 |
| Yemen | 31.5 | 9,188 | 4 | 1,092 |
| Zambia | 3.6 | 645 | 4 | 620 |
| Zimbabwe | 1 | 143 | 5 | 682 |
U.S. Gun Deaths by Year
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tallies American gun deaths in the WISQARS database. Below are the yearly numbers, from 1999-2016, for firearm deaths by suicide, homicide, unintentional deaths, legal intervention, and undetermined intent. [203]
Please note that the totals in the tables below are those reported by the CDC and may not be equal to the numbers in the columns because the CDC suppresses some numbers.
Firearm Deaths by Suicide by Age, 1999-2016
The CDC has suppressed firearm suicide numbers for children aged 0-9. The CDC’s total include 39 deaths by suicide for people of unknown age.
Ages 10-49
| Year | 10-14 | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-29 | 40-44 | 45-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 235 | 1,185 | 2,405 | 2,201 | 2,020 | 1,889 | 1,755 | 1,706 |
| 2020 | 224 | 1,069 | 2,104 | 2,043 | 1,858 | 1,640 | 1,575 | 1,676 |
| 2019 | 172 | 995 | 1,805 | 1,826 | 1,681 | 1,625 | 1,562 | 1,780 |
| 2018 | 202 | 1,094 | 1,901 | 1,836 | 1,593 | 1,681 | 1,541 | 1,796 |
| 2017 | 185 | 1,110 | 1,849 | 1,871 | 1,587 | 1,528 | 1,570 | 1,866 |
| 2016 | 160 | 942 | 1,741 | 1,730 | 1,568 | 1,566 | 1,533 | 1,746 |
| 2015 | 139 | 877 | 1,584 | 1,571 | 1,547 | 1,397 | 1,555 | 1,686 |
| 2014 | 174 | 758 | 1,522 | 1,449 | 1,385 | 1,341 | 1,498 | 1,788 |
| 2013 | 137 | 739 | 1,471 | 1,493 | 1,404 | 1,357 | 1,591 | 1,808 |
| 2012 | 104 | 756 | 1,462 | 1,443 | 1,317 | 1,347 | 1,577 | 1,843 |
| 2011 | 91 | 758 | 1,410 | 1,450 | 1,290 | 1,316 | 1,521 | 1,919 |
| 2010 | 80 | 668 | 1,378 | 1,389 | 1,205 | 1,364 | 1,550 | 1,959 |
| 2009 | 64 | 736 | 1,266 | 1,257 | 1,122 | 1,351 | 1,523 | 1,883 |
| 2008 | 50 | 698 | 1,311 | 1,236 | 1,121 | 1,314 | 1,482 | 1,884 |
| 2007 | 53 | 630 | 1,270 | 1,151 | 1,155 | 1,276 | 1,603 | 1,763 |
| 2006 | 62 | 701 | 1,277 | 1,121 | 1,029 | 1,310 | 1,511 | 1,783 |
| 2005 | 84 | 738 | 1,224 | 1,125 | 1,144 | 1,246 | 1,609 | 1,804 |
| 2004 | 59 | 787 | 1,317 | 1,115 | 1,168 | 1,233 | 1,635 | 1,784 |
| 2003 | 73 | 736 | 1,339 | 1,114 | 1,267 | 1,280 | 1,647 | 1,705 |
| 2002 | 86 | 742 | 1,346 | 1,217 | 1,182 | 1,450 | 1,707 | 1,652 |
| 2001 | 90 | 838 | 1,292 | 1,263 | 1,301 | 1,429 | 1,601 | 1,552 |
| Total | 2,524 | 17,557 | 32,274 | 30,901 | 28,944 | 29,940 | 33,146 | 37,383 |
Ages 50-85+ and Total Deaths
| Year | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 75-79 | 80-84 | 85+ | Totals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,011 | 2,045 | 1,939 | 1,720 | 1,710 | 1,385 | 1,035 | 26,328 | |
| 2020 | 1,742 | 1,983 | 1,906 | 1,618 | 1,489 | 1,319 | 1,018 | 1,028 | 24,292 |
| 2019 | 1,836 | 2,265 | 2,001 | 1,675 | 1,455 | 1,333 | 911 | 1,018 | 23,941 |
| 2018 | 1,991 | 2,340 | 2,081 | 1,743 | 1,494 | 1,325 | 890 | 923 | 24,432 |
| 2017 | 2,071 | 2,265 | 1,954 | 1,552 | 1,437 | 1,178 | 862 | 967 | 23,854 |
| 2016 | 2,127 | 2,231 | 1,836 | 1,611 | 1,321 | 1,096 | 860 | 868 | 22,938 |
| 2015 | 2,196 | 2,170 | 1,781 | 1,518 | 1,261 | 1,041 | 831 | 860 | 22,018 |
| 2014 | 2,172 | 2,150 | 1,772 | 1,422 | 1,294 | 943 | 837 | 880 | 21,386 |
| 2013 | 2,249 | 2,112 | 1,697 | 1,379 | 1,177 | 921 | 838 | 798 | 21,175 |
| 2012 | 2,270 | 2,107 | 1,640 | 1,286 | 1,007 | 929 | 809 | 765 | 20,666 |
| 2011 | 2,181 | 1,957 | 1,565 | 1,185 | 974 | 846 | 817 | 704 | 19,990 |
| 2010 | 2,133 | 1,897 | 1,490 | 1,121 | 932 | 838 | 706 | 679 | 19,392 |
| 2009 | 2,092 | 1,814 | 1,377 | 1,125 | 910 | 844 | 747 | 622 | 18,735 |
| 2008 | 1,905 | 1,669 | 1,410 | 1,027 | 906 | 839 | 768 | 603 | 18,223 |
| 2007 | 1,768 | 1,550 | 1,236 | 941 | 759 | 919 | 670 | 606 | 17,352 |
| 2006 | 1,698 | 1,480 | 1,082 | 886 | 803 | 870 | 692 | 577 | 16,883 |
| 2005 | 1,668 | 1,398 | 1,072 | 827 | 842 | 884 | 765 | 571 | 17,002 |
| 2004 | 1,565 | 1,283 | 1,045 | 794 | 837 | 903 | 685 | 537 | 16,750 |
| 2003 | 1,574 | 1,329 | 988 | 833 | 867 | 886 | 709 | 559 | 16,907 |
| 2002 | 1,484 | 1,295 | 939 | 846 | 930 | 918 | 762 | 550 | 17,108 |
| 2001 | 1,471 | 1,195 | 888 | 857 | 901 | 920 | 728 | 537 | 16,869 |
| Total | 40,204 | 38,535 | 31,699 | 25,966 | 23,306 | 21,137 | 16,990 | 15,687 | 426,241 |
Firearm Homicides by Age, 1999-2016
Please note the following:
- The 2004 total includes 21 homicides of people of unknown age.
- The 2003 total includes 18 homicides of people of unknown age.
- The 2002 total includes 13 homicides of people of unknown age.
- The 2001 total includes 11 homicides of people of unknown age.
- The total includes 116 homicides of people of unknown age.
Ages 0-44
| Year | 0-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 87 | 105 | 254 | 2,611 | 3,596 | 3,594 | 3,085 | 2,255 | 1,676 |
| 2020 | 85 | 91 | 218 | 2,417 | 3,549 | 3,401 | 2,757 | 2,095 | 1,445 |
| 2019 | 57 | 68 | 144 | 1,754 | 2,585 | 2,510 | 1,988 | 1,511 | 1,149 |
| 2018 | 60 | 57 | 134 | 1,580 | 2,527 | 2,463 | 1,885 | 1,523 | 1,046 |
| 2017 | 56 | 78 | 126 | 1,667 | 2,724 | 2,639 | 1,955 | 1,543 | 1,018 |
| 2016 | 75 | 68 | 95 | 1,611 | 2,942 | 2,558 | 1,952 | 1,483 | 1,072 |
| 2015 | 58 | 69 | 121 | 1,397 | 2,743 | 2,260 | 1,736 | 1,252 | 945 |
| 2014 | 52 | 58 | 115 | 1,239 | 2,375 | 1,861 | 1,413 | 1,039 | 804 |
| 2013 | 51 | 48 | 94 | 1,217 | 2,487 | 1,823 | 1,549 | 1,062 | 781 |
| 2012 | 50 | 67 | 124 | 1,423 | 2,508 | 1,944 | 1,483 | 1,055 | 832 |
| 2011 | 55 | 55 | 107 | 1,434 | 2,391 | 1,879 | 1,392 | 968 | 750 |
| 2010 | 54 | 58 | 107 | 1,554 | 2,335 | 1,909 | 1,422 | 937 | 736 |
| 2009 | 66 | 53 | 115 | 1,621 | 2,430 | 1,903 | 1,397 | 1,071 | 798 |
| 2008 | 65 | 44 | 143 | 1,785 | 2,609 | 2,106 | 1,506 | 1,130 | 836 |
| 2007 | 63 | 47 | 154 | 1,897 | 2,772 | 2,181 | 1,570 | 1,119 | 919 |
| 2006 | 48 | 62 | 175 | 1,940 | 2,887 | 2,240 | 1,527 | 1,106 | 881 |
| 2005 | 43 | 44 | 143 | 1,742 | 2,757 | 2,207 | 1,573 | 1,065 | 945 |
| 2004 | 42 | 45 | 139 | 1,578 | 2,549 | 2,063 | 1,440 | 1,025 | 870 |
| 2003 | 48 | 48 | 139 | 1,587 | 2,823 | 2,070 | 1,470 | 1,066 | 875 |
| 2002 | 58 | 55 | 150 | 1,567 | 2,750 | 2,018 | 1,447 | 1,135 | 907 |
| 2001 | 66 | 59 | 121 | 1,525 | 2,675 | 1,940 | 1,368 | 1,142 | 836 |
| Total* | 1,239 | 1,279 | 2,918 | 35,146 | 57,014 | 47,569 | 35,915 | 26,582 | 20,121 |
Ages 45-85+ and Total Deaths
| Year | 45-49 | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 75-79 | 80-84 | 85+ | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,154 | 870 | 630 | 466 | 244 | 169 | 74 | 41 | 47 | 20,958 |
| 2020 | 1,042 | 741 | 584 | 408 | 229 | 124 | 101 | 51 | 45 | 19,384 |
| 2019 | 808 | 551 | 512 | 312 | 180 | 134 | 78 | 36 | 36 | 14,414 |
| 2018 | 790 | 592 | 487 | 315 | 205 | 142 | 72 | 42 | 37 | 13,958 |
| 2017 | 807 | 640 | 500 | 324 | 220 | 102 | 62 | 47 | 34 | 14,542 |
| 2016 | 798 | 622 | 434 | 304 | 161 | 102 | 61 | 42 | 34 | 14,415 |
| 2015 | 726 | 573 | 420 | 261 | 173 | 85 | 76 | 43 | 40 | 12,979 |
| 2014 | 638 | 503 | 341 | 200 | 147 | 87 | 56 | 45 | 34 | 11,008 |
| 2013 | 649 | 509 | 350 | 223 | 135 | 88 | 54 | 49 | 31 | 11,208 |
| 2012 | 645 | 536 | 354 | 235 | 151 | 79 | 63 | 44 | 29 | 11,622 |
| 2011 | 630 | 517 | 340 | 206 | 121 | 89 | 55 | 44 | 35 | 11,068 |
| 2010 | 621 | 476 | 330 | 203 | 110 | 97 | 49 | 41 | 34 | 11,078 |
| 2009 | 669 | 483 | 326 | 194 | 131 | 84 | 65 | 49 | 32 | 11,493 |
| 2008 | 689 | 457 | 299 | 190 | 115 | 81 | 54 | 34 | 34 | 12,179 |
| 2007 | 699 | 460 | 280 | 166 | 108 | 77 | 51 | 37 | 23 | 12,632 |
| 2006 | 701 | 484 | 283 | 185 | 90 | 68 | 48 | 36 | 22 | 12,791 |
| 2005 | 679 | 418 | 239 | 166 | 111 | 90 | 63 | 34 | 24 | 12,352 |
| 2004 | 638 | 424 | 279 | 189 | 122 | 71 | 62 | 38 | 29 | 11624 |
| 2003 | 683 | 427 | 250 | 144 | 83 | 78 | 55 | 33 | 23 | 11920 |
| 2002 | 604 | 421 | 263 | 146 | 92 | 69 | 72 | 43 | 19 | 11829 |
| 2001 | 552 | 382 | 213 | 151 | 114 | 78 | 61 | 38 | 16 | 11348 |
| Total | 15,222 | 11,086 | 7,714 | 4,988 | 3,042 | 1,994 | 1,332 | 867 | 658 | 274802 |
Unintentional Firearm Deaths by Age, 1999-2016
Ages 0-44
| Year | 0-4 | 5-9 | 10-14 | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 54 | 25 | 28 | 61 | 64 | 42 | 39 | 39 | 37 |
| 2020 | 41 | 22 | 30 | 56 | 73 | 50 | 42 | 38 | 27 |
| 2019 | 26 | -- | 16 | 66 | 62 | 39 | 35 | 31 | 26 |
| 2018 | 30 | 10 | 14 | 62 | 67 | 38 | 41 | 27 | 19 |
| 2017 | 32 | 14 | 16 | 53 | 64 | 54 | 39 | 37 | 27 |
| 2016 | 35 | 16 | 23 | 53 | 68 | 46 | 38 | 17 | 12 |
| 2015 | 26 | -- | 15 | 52 | 69 | 45 | 34 | 35 | 24 |
| 2014 | 23 | 14 | 12 | 44 | 65 | 39 | 24 | 35 | 26 |
| 2013 | 30 | 15 | 24 | 55 | 52 | 44 | 38 | 24 | 24 |
| 2012 | 29 | -- | 22 | 52 | 67 | 43 | 47 | 39 | 25 |
| 2011 | 29 | 16 | 29 | 66 | 64 | 53 | 33 | 37 | 29 |
| 2010 | 25 | 11 | 26 | 72 | 73 | 58 | 49 | 47 | 44 |
| 2009 | 16 | 12 | 20 | 66 | 66 | 54 | 45 | 35 | 41 |
| 2008 | 21 | 12 | 29 | 61 | 71 | 56 | 33 | 40 | 45 |
| 2007 | 19 | 20 | 26 | 73 | 82 | 64 | 30 | 52 | 39 |
| 2006 | 13 | 18 | 23 | 100 | 93 | 72 | 41 | 29 | 45 |
| 2005 | 23 | 15 | 37 | 98 | 105 | 68 | 62 | 60 | 54 |
| 2004 | 15 | 13 | 35 | 80 | 92 | 58 | 42 | 44 | 53 |
| 2003 | -- | 13 | 36 | 95 | 105 | 74 | 46 | 57 | 61 |
| 2002 | 12 | 14 | 34 | 107 | 103 | 75 | 68 | 52 | 71 |
| 2001 | 15 | 18 | 39 | 110 | 96 | 71 | 51 | 70 | 76 |
| Total | 521 | 301 | 534 | 1,482 | 1,601 | 1,143 | 877 | 845 | 805 |
Ages 45-85+ and Total Deaths
| Year | 45-49 | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | 75-79 | 80-84 | 85+ | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 21 | 10 | 10 | -- | 549 |
| 2020 | 26 | 22 | 37 | 16 | 20 | 14 | 10 | -- | -- | 535 |
| 2019 | 29 | 34 | 27 | 24 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 13 | -- | 486 |
| 2018 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 16 | 18 | 12 | -- | -- | 458 |
| 2017 | 22 | 28 | 30 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | -- | -- | 486 |
| 2016 | 32 | 35 | 35 | 28 | 18 | 14 | 12 | -- | -- | 495 |
| 2015 | 32 | 25 | 32 | 23 | 26 | 19 | -- | 10 | -- | 489 |
| 2014 | 26 | 37 | 24 | 20 | 27 | 22 | 10 | -- | -- | 461 |
| 2013 | 35 | 45 | 32 | 27 | 18 | 17 | -- | 14 | -- | 505 |
| 2012 | 33 | 46 | 39 | 30 | 30 | 13 | -- | 13 | -- | 548 |
| 2011 | 46 | 41 | 35 | 29 | 24 | 22 | 17 | 13 | -- | 591 |
| 2010 | 50 | 39 | 28 | 22 | 26 | 12 | 10 | -- | -- | 606 |
| 2009 | 30 | 31 | 41 | 19 | 25 | 21 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 554 |
| 2008 | 52 | 47 | 40 | 17 | 27 | 10 | -- | 15 | -- | 592 |
| 2007 | 41 | 41 | 30 | 27 | 21 | 10 | 16 | 15 | -- | 613 |
| 2006 | 46 | 38 | 28 | 21 | 23 | 10 | 23 | 11 | -- | 642 |
| 2005 | 55 | 53 | 42 | 25 | 21 | 23 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 789 |
| 2004 | 41 | 65 | 25 | 10 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 13 | -- | 649 |
| 2003 | 48 | 44 | 36 | 26 | 23 | 16 | 16 | 21 | -- | 730 |
| 2002 | 52 | 43 | 36 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 14 | -- | 762 |
| 2001 | 61 | 42 | 44 | 25 | 19 | 14 | 24 | 17 | -- | 802 |
| Total | 804 | 800 | 690 | 472 | 454 | 343 | 276 | 244 | 147 | 12,342 |
Legal Intervention Firearm Deaths by Age, 1999-2016
Please note that the CDC total includes the deaths of 17 people aged 10-14 years old and 139 people aged 60+ that are not included in the yearly counts.
Ages 15-44
| Year | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11 | 59 | 83 | 116 | 88 | 59 |
| 2020 | 25 | 50 | 93 | 116 | 90 | 67 |
| 2019 | 19 | 51 | 85 | 91 | 65 | 57 |
| 2018 | 26 | 61 | 80 | 80 | 79 | 69 |
| 2017 | 32 | 59 | 106 | 81 | 77 | 51 |
| 2016 | 25 | 51 | 82 | 89 | 81 | 51 |
| 2015 | 25 | 59 | 78 | 75 | 58 | 40 |
| 2014 | 23 | 56 | 99 | 61 | 62 | 44 |
| 2013 | 19 | 77 | 63 | 75 | 59 | 54 |
| 2012 | 35 | 81 | 77 | 58 | 52 | 47 |
| 2011 | 28 | 72 | 66 | 64 | 41 | 43 |
| 2010 | 16 | 52 | 46 | 40 | 47 | 39 |
| 2009 | 17 | 52 | 47 | 52 | 38 | 26 |
| 2008 | 19 | 61 | 56 | 35 | 43 | 33 |
| 2007 | 24 | 72 | 65 | 42 | 43 | 33 |
| 2006 | 33 | 48 | 59 | 55 | 37 | 54 |
| 2005 | 21 | 59 | 38 | 50 | 58 | 36 |
| 2004 | 27 | 52 | 46 | 44 | 46 | 36 |
| 2003 | 20 | 72 | 57 | 52 | 52 | 37 |
| 2002 | 23 | 63 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 30 |
| 2001 | 26 | 61 | 44 | 51 | 49 | 35 |
| Total | 494 | 1,268 | 1,413 | 1,371 | 1,209 | 941 |
Ages 45-69 and Total Deaths
| Year | 45-49 | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35 | 34 | 17 | 17 | -- | 537 |
| 2020 | 61 | 33 | 31 | 22 | 11 | 611 |
| 2019 | 54 | 34 | 33 | 16 | -- | 520 |
| 2018 | 42 | 25 | 33 | 22 | 10 | 539 |
| 2017 | 47 | 43 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 553 |
| 2016 | 31 | 40 | 27 | 16 | -- | 510 |
| 2015 | 50 | 39 | 31 | 16 | -- | 484 |
| 2014 | 37 | 39 | 17 | 13 | -- | 464 |
| 2013 | 41 | 29 | 22 | 13 | -- | 467 |
| 2012 | 35 | 40 | 23 | 13 | -- | 471 |
| 2011 | 49 | 36 | 21 | 15 | 12 | 454 |
| 2010 | 37 | 21 | 21 | 15 | -- | 344 |
| 2009 | 30 | 23 | 21 | 13 | -- | 333 |
| 2008 | 35 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | 326 |
| 2007 | 31 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | 351 |
| 2006 | 32 | 24 | -- | -- | -- | 360 |
| 2005 | 23 | 16 | 13 | -- | -- | 330 |
| 2004 | 24 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | 311 |
| 2003 | 20 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | 347 |
| 2002 | 31 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 300 |
| 2001 | 22 | -- | 10 | -- | -- | 323 |
| Total | 767 | 562 | 385 | 246 | 122 | 8,935 |
Firearm Deaths with Undetermined Intent by Age, 1999-2016
The CDC total includes the deaths of 129 people aged 0-9 years old and 244 people aged 70+ that are not included in the yearly counts.
Ages 10-44
| Year | 10-14 | 15-19 | 20-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15 | 59 | 81 | 62 | 36 | 35 | 29 |
| 2020 | 22 | 50 | 53 | 51 | 30 | 30 | 32 |
| 2019 | 10 | 46 | 54 | 41 | 27 | 22 | 23 |
| 2018 | 17 | 45 | 48 | 49 | 35 | 21 | 21 |
| 2017 | 11 | 50 | 48 | 29 | 20 | 30 | 18 |
| 2016 | -- | 34 | 36 | 28 | 37 | 23 | 29 |
| 2015 | -- | 30 | 47 | 32 | 28 | 18 | 13 |
| 2014 | -- | 25 | 32 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 22 |
| 2013 | -- | 26 | 38 | 42 | 24 | 16 | 27 |
| 2012 | -- | 17 | 50 | 28 | 24 | 17 | 15 |
| 2011 | 10 | 20 | 42 | 30 | 14 | 21 | 18 |
| 2010 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 32 | 22 | 16 | 10 |
| 2009 | -- | 16 | 26 | 25 | 15 | 17 | 21 |
| 2008 | -- | 27 | 43 | 36 | 17 | 21 | 15 |
| 2007 | 10 | 45 | 37 | 28 | 16 | 15 | 21 |
| 2006 | -- | 35 | 41 | 30 | 15 | 27 | 12 |
| 2005 | -- | 24 | 53 | 23 | 12 | 11 | 17 |
| 2004 | -- | 22 | 36 | 22 | 23 | 16 | 28 |
| 2003 | 11 | 31 | 38 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 22 |
| 2002 | -- | 35 | 44 | 27 | 19 | 31 | 19 |
| 2001 | -- | 24 | 40 | 32 | 16 | 33 | 17 |
| Total | 182 | 682 | 919 | 691 | 470 | 459 | 429 |
Ages 45-74 and Total Deaths
| Year | 45-49 | 50-54 | 55-59 | 60-64 | 65-69 | 70-74 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20 | 22 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 458 |
| 2020 | 19 | 26 | 19 | 15 | 17 | -- | 400 |
| 2019 | 25 | 22 | 26 | -- | 11 | 13 | 346 |
| 2018 | 20 | 22 | 18 | -- | 18 | -- | 353 |
| 2017 | 18 | 16 | 27 | 22 | 13 | -- | 338 |
| 2016 | 18 | -- | 14 | 17 | 10 | 12 | 300 |
| 2015 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 282 |
| 2014 | 23 | 28 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 275 |
| 2013 | 10 | 19 | 24 | 18 | -- | -- | 281 |
| 2012 | 20 | 14 | 19 | 16 | 13 | -- | 256 |
| 2011 | 12 | 17 | 26 | -- | 11 | -- | 248 |
| 2010 | 28 | 16 | 21 | 12 | -- | -- | 252 |
| 2009 | 25 | 23 | 19 | 14 | -- | -- | 232 |
| 2008 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 11 | 13 | -- | 273 |
| 2007 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 10 | -- | 276 |
| 2006 | 13 | -- | 13 | -- | -- | -- | 220 |
| 2005 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 12 | -- | -- | 221 |
| 2004 | 12 | 17 | 11 | -- | 11 | -- | 235 |
| 2003 | 19 | 12 | 14 | -- | -- | -- | 232 |
| 2002 | 19 | 10 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 243 |
| 2001 | 16 | 13 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 231 |
| Total | 384 | 370 | 372 | 249 | 218 | 145 | 5,952 |
U.S. Leading Causes of Suicide, Homicide, and Unintentional Death
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tallies American deaths in the WISQARS database. Below are the total number of deaths by suicide, homicide, and unintentional deaths by the method of death, from 1999-2016. [203]
Leading Methods of Suicide
| Method | Number of Deaths |
|---|---|
| Firearm | 26,328 |
| Suffocation | 12,431 |
| Drug poisoning | 4,375 |
| Non-drug poisoning | 1,193 |
| Fall | 1,184 |
| Cut/pierce | 965 |
| Other specified and classifiable | 697 |
| Drowning (includes water transport) | 459 |
| Fire/flame | 195 |
| Transport (land) | 157 |
| Other specified and not classified elsewhere | 112 |
Leading Methods of Homicide
| Method | Number of Deaths |
|---|---|
| Firearm | 20,958 |
| Unspecified | 1,376 |
| Other specified and not classified elsewhere | 464 |
| Suffocation | 409 |
| Struck by/against | 287 |
| Drug poisoning | 214 |
| Other specified and classifiable | 166 |
| Transport (land) | 113 |
| Fire/flame | 108 |
| Drowning (includes water transport) | 24 |
| Fall | 12 (unstable figure) |
| Hot object/substance | — |
| Non-drug poisoning | — |
Leading Methods of Unintentional Death
| Method | Number of Deaths |
|---|---|
| Drug poisoning | 98,268 |
| Fall | 44,686 |
| Unspecified, motor vehicle traffic | 20,768 |
| Occupant, motor vehicle traffic | 10,025 |
| Pedestrian, motor vehicle traffic | 7,984 |
| Suffocation | 7,182 |
| Unspecified | 6,392 |
| Motorcyclist | 5,762 |
| Drowning (includes water transport) | 4,677 |
| Non-drug poisoning | 3,733 |
| Fire/flame | 3,389 |
| Natural/environmental | 2,812 |
| Other specified and classifiable | 1,602 |
| Transport, other land | 1,378 |
| Other specified and classifiable | 1,149 |
| Struck by/against | 1,024 |
| Pedestrian, other | 1,000 |
| Pedal cyclist, motor vehicle traffic | 853 |
| Firearm | 549 |
| Machinery | 530 |
| Transport, other (excluding drowning by water transport) | 501 |
| Pedal cyclist, other | 377 |
| Hot object/substance | 95 |
| Overexertion | 13 |
| Other, motor vehicle Traffic | 12 |
State Constitutional Right to Bear Arms
45 U.S. states include the right to bear arms in the state constitutions, some for self-defense and the defense of the state. The oldest of the provisions date to 1776 in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia (though all three have since been revised, the right remains in place). Iowa was the last state to add a right to bear arms to its constitution in 2022 when the government edited an existing article.
The U.S. Constitution, which includes the right to bear arms in the Second Amendment, governs D.C., which does not have a constitution of its own.
Five states’ constitutions do not include the right to bear arms: California, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York.
| State | Text of Constitutional Provision | Date | Location in Constitution (historical location) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | "That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and state." | 1901.0 | Art. I, § 26 |
| "That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defence of himself and state." | 1819.0 | Art. I, § 23 | |
| Alaska | "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The individual right to keep and bear arms shall not be denied or infringed by the State or a political subdivision of the State." | 1994.0 | Art. I, § 19 |
| "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." | 1959.0 | Art. I, § 19 | |
| Arizona | "The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the State shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain, or employ an armed body of men" | 1912.0 | Art. II, § 26 |
| Arkansas | "The citizens of this State shall have the right to keep and bear arms for their common defense." | 1868.0 | Art. II, § 5 |
| (Art. I, § 5 when enacted) | |||
| "That the free white men of this State shall have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defence." | 1836.0 | Art. II, § 21 | |
| California | No constitutional provision to bear arms | n/a | n/a |
| Colorado | "The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called in question; but nothing herein contained shall be construed to justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons." | 1876.0 | Art. II, § 13 |
| Connecticut | "Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state." | 1818.0 | Art. I, § 15 |
| (Art. I, § 17 when enacted) | |||
| Delaware | "A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and State, and for hunting and recreational use." | 1987.0 | Art. I, § 20 |
| Florida | "The right of the people to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves and of the lawful authority of the state shall not be infringed, except that the manner of bearing arms may be regulated by law." | 1968.0 | Art. I, § 8 |
| "The right of the people to bear arms in defence of themselves and the lawful authority of the State, shall not be infringed, but the Legislature may prescribe the manner in which they may be borne." | 1885.0 | Art. I, § 20 | |
| "The people shall have the right to bear arms in defence of themselves and of the lawful authority of the State." | 1868.0 | Art. I, § 22 | |
| "That the free white men of this State shall have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defence." | 1838.0 | Art. I, § 21 | |
| Georgia | "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but the General Assembly shall have power to prescribe the manner in which arms may be borne." | 1877.0 | Art. I, § 1, ¶ VIII |
| (Art. I, § XXII when enacted) | |||
| "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free people, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; but the general assembly shall have power to prescribe by law the manner in which arms may be borne." | 1868.0 | Art. I, § 14 | |
| "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." | 1865.0 | Art. I, § 4 | |
| Hawaii | "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." | 1959.0 | Art. I, § 17 |
| Idaho | "The people have the right to keep and bear arms, which right shall not be abridged; but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws to govern the carrying of weapons concealed on the person nor prevent passage of legislation providing minimum sentences for crimes committed while in possession of a firearm, nor prevent the passage of legislation providing penalties for the possession of firearms by a convicted felon, nor prevent the passage of any legislation punishing the use of a firearm. No law shall impose licensure, registration or special taxation on the ownership or possession of firearms or ammunition. Nor shall any law permit the confiscation of firearms, except those actually used in the commission of a felony." | 1978.0 | Art. I, § 11 |
| "The people have the right to bear arms for their security and defense; but the Legislature shall regulate the exercise of this right by law." | 1889.0 | Art. I, § 11 | |
| Illinois | "Subject only to the police power, the right of the individual citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." | 1970.0 | Art. I, § 22 |
| Indiana | "The people shall have a right to bear arms, for the defense of themselves and the State." | 1851.0 | Art. I, § 32 |
| "That the people have a right to bear arms for the defense of themselves and the State, and that the military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power." | 1816.0 | Art. I, § 20 | |
| Iowa | "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms and recognizes this right to be a fundamental individual right. Any and all restrictions of this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny." | 2022.0 | Art. 1, § 1A |
| Kansas | "A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose; but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and shall not be tolerated, and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power." | 1859.0 | Bill of Rights § 4 |
| (Art. I, § 4 when enacted) | |||
| Kentucky | "All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned... The right to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the State, subject to the power of the General Assembly to enact laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed weapons." | 1891.0 | § 1 |
| "That the rights of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned; but the General Assembly may pass laws to prevent persons from carrying concealed arms." | 1850.0 | Art. XIII, § 25 | |
| "That the rights of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." | 1799.0 | Art. X, § 23 | |
| "That the right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." | 1792.0 | Art. XII, § 23 | |
| Louisiana | "The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms is fundamental and shall not be infringed. Any restriction on this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny" | 1974.0 | Art. I, § 11 |
| "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be abridged. This shall not prevent the passage of laws to punish those who carry weapons concealed." | 1879.0 | Art. 3 | |
| Maine | "Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned." | 1987.0 | Art. I, § 16 |
| "Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms for the common defence; and this right shall never be questioned." | 1819.0 | Art. I, § 16 | |
| Maryland | No constitutional provision to bear arms | n/a | n/a |
| Massachusetts | "The people have a right to keep and to bear arms for the common defence. And as, in time of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be maintained without the consent of the legislature; and the military power shall always be held in an exact subordination to the civil authority, and be governed by it." | 1780.0 | Pt. 1, art. 17 |
| Michigan | "Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense of himself and the state." | 1963.0 | Art. I, § 6 |
| "Every person has a right to bear arms for the defense of himself and the state." | 1850.0 | Art. XVIII, § 7 | |
| "Every person has a right to bear arms for the defence of himself and the State." | 1835.0 | Art. I, § 13 | |
| Minnesota | No constitutional provision to bear arms | n/a | n/a |
| Mississippi | "The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but the legislature may regulate or forbid carrying concealed weapons." | 1890.0 | Art. 3, § 12 |
| "All persons shall have a right to keep and bear arms for their defence." | 1868.0 | Art. I, § 15 | |
| "Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defence of himself and of the State." | 1832.0 | Art. I, § 23 | |
| "Every citizen has a right to bear arms, in defence of himself and the State." | 1817.0 | Art. I, § 23 | |
| Missouri | "That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms, ammunition, and accessories typical to the normal function of such arms, in defense of his home, person, family and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned. The rights guaranteed by this section shall be unalienable. Any restriction on these rights shall be subject to strict scrutiny and the state of Missouri shall be obligated to uphold these rights and shall under no circumstances decline to protect against their infringement. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the general assembly from enacting general laws which limit the rights of convicted violent felons or those adjudicated by a court to be a danger to self or others as result of a mental disorder or mental infirmity." | 2014.0 | Art. I, § 23 |
| "That the right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or when lawfully summoned in aid of the civil power, shall not be questioned; but this shall not justify the wearing of concealed weapons." | 1945.0 | Art. I, § 23 | |
| "That the right of no citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question; but nothing herein contained is intended to justify the practice of wearing concealed weapons." | 1875.0 | Art. II, § 17 | |
| "That the people have the right peaceably to assemble for their common good, and to apply to those vested with the powers of government for redress of grievances by petition or remonstrance; and that their right to bear arms in defence of themselves and of the lawful authority of the State cannot be questioned." | 1865.0 | Art. I, § 8 | |
| "That the people have the right peaceably to assemble for their common good, and to apply to those vested with the powers of government for redress of grievances by petition or remonstrance; and that their right to bear arms in defence of themselves and of the State cannot be questioned." | 1820.0 | Art. XIII, § 3 | |
| Montana | "The right of any person to keep or bear arms in defense of his own home, person, and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but nothing herein contained shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons." | 1889.0 | Art. II, § 12 |
| Nebraska | "All persons are by nature free and independent, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the right to keep and bear arms for security or defense of self, family, home, and others, and for lawful common defense, hunting, recreational use, and all other lawful purposes, and such rights shall not be denied or infringed by the state or any subdivision thereof. To secure these rights, and the protection of property, governments are instituted among people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." | 1988.0 | Art. I, § 1 |
| Nevada | "Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes." | 1982.0 | Art. I, § 11 |
| New Hampshire | "All persons have the right to keep and bear arms in defense of themselves, their families, their property and the state." | 1982.0 | Pt. 1, art. 2-a |
| New Jersey | No constitutional provision to bear arms | n/a | n/a |
| New Mexico | "No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons. No municipality or county shall regulate, in any way, an incident of the right to keep and bear arms." | 1986.0 | Art. II, § 6 |
| "No law shall abridge the right of the citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational purposes, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons." | 1971.0 | Art. II, § 6 | |
| "The people have the right to bear arms for their security and defense, but nothing herein shall be held to permit the carrying of concealed weapons." | 1912.0 | Art. II, § 6 | |
| New York | No constitutional provision to bear arms | n/a | n/a |
| North Carolina | "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; and, as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they shall not be maintained, and the military shall be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power. Nothing herein shall justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons, or prevent the General Assembly from enacting penal statutes against that practice." | 1971.0 | Art. I, § 30 |
| "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; and, as standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up, and the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power. Nothing herein contained shall justify the practice of carrying concealed weapons, or prevent the Legislature from enacting penal statutes against said practice." | 1875.0 | Art. I, § 24 | |
| "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; and, as standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up, and the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power." | 1868.0 | Art. I, § 24 | |
| "That the people have a right to bear arms, for the defence of the State; and, as standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power." | 1776.0 | Bill of Rights, § XVII | |
| North Dakota | "All individuals are by nature equally free and independent and have certain inalienable rights, among which are those of enjoying and defending life and liberty; acquiring, possessing and protecting property and reputation; pursuing and obtaining safety and happiness; and to keep and bear arms for the defense of their person, family, property, and the state, and for lawful hunting, recreational, and other lawful purposes, which shall not be infringed." | 1984.0 | Art. I, § 1 |
| Ohio | "The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security; but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and shall not be kept up; and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power." | 1851.0 | Art. I, § 4 |
| "That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the State; and as standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, they shall not be kept up, and that the military shall be kept under strict subordination to the civil power." | 1802.0 | Art. VIII, § 20 | |
| Oklahoma | "The right of a citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person, or property, or in aid of the civil power, when thereunto legally summoned, shall never be prohibited; but nothing herein contained shall prevent the Legislature from regulating the carrying of weapons." | 1907.0 | Art. II, § 26 |
| Oregon | "The people shall have the right to bear arms for the defence of themselves, and the State, but the Military shall be kept in strict subordination to the civil power." | 1857.0 | Art. I, § 27 |
| (Art. I, § 28 when enacted) | |||
| Pennsylvania | "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned." | 1790.0 | Art. I, § 21 |
| (Art. IX, § 21 when enacted) | |||
| "That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the state; and as standing armies in the time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; And that the military should be kept under strict subordination, to, and governed by, the civil power." | 1776.0 | Declaration of Rights, cl. XIII | |
| Rhode Island | "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." | 1842.0 | Art. I, § 22 |
| South Carolina | "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. As, in times of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty, they shall not be maintained without the consent of the General Assembly. The military power of the State shall always be held in subordination to the civil authority and be governed by it. No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner nor in time of war but in the manner prescribed by law." | 1895.0 | Art. I, § 20 |
| "The people have a right to keep and bear arms for the common defence. As, in times of peace, armies are dangerous to liberty, they shall not be maintained without the consent of the General Assembly. The military power of the State shall always be held in subordination to the civil authority and be governed by it. No soldier shall in time of peace be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner nor in time of war but in the manner prescribed by law." | 1868.0 | Art. I, § 28 | |
| South Dakota | "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be denied." | 1889.0 | Art. VI, § 24 |
| Tennessee | "That the citizens of this state have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defense; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime." | 1870.0 | Art. I, § 26 |
| "That the free white men of this State have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defence." | 1834.0 | Art. I, § 26 | |
| "That the freemen of this State have a right to keep and to bear arms for their common defence." | 1796.0 | Art. XI, § 26 | |
| Texas | "Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime." | 1876.0 | Art. I, § 23 |
| "Every person shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defence of himself or the State, under such regulations as the legislature may prescribe." | 1868.0 | Art. I, § 13 | |
| "Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in lawful defence of himself or the State." | 1845.0 | Art. I, § 13 | |
| "Every citizen shall have the right to bear arms in defence of himself and the republic. The military shall at all times and in all cases be subordinate to the civil power." | 1836.0 | Declaration of Rights, cl. 14 | |
| Utah | "The individual right of the people to keep and bear arms for security and defense of self, family, others, property, or the state, as well as for other lawful purposes shall not be infringed; but nothing herein shall prevent the Legislature from defining the lawful use of arms." | 1984.0 | Art. I, § 6 |
| "The people have the right to bear arms for their security and defense, but the legislature may regulate the exercise of this right by law." | 1896.0 | n/a | |
| Vermont | "That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the State--and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power." | 1777.0 | Ch. 1, art. 15 |
| Virginia | "That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power." | 1971.0 | Art. I, § 13 |
| "That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power." | 1776.0 | Art. I, § 13 | |
| Washington | "The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men." | 1889.0 | Art. I, § 24 |
| West Virginia | "A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, and for lawful hunting and recreational use." | 1986.0 | Art. III, § 22 |
| Wisconsin | "The people have the right to keep and bear arms for security, defense, hunting, recreation or any other lawful purpose." | 1998.0 | Art. I, § 25 |
| Wyoming | "The right of citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and of the state shall not be denied." | 1889.0 | Art. I, § 24 |
School Shootings: Jan. 1, 2013 through Jan. 1, 2015
In the two years following Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14, 2012, there were 94 school shootings. This list includes each instance of a gun being discharged on school property according to information from Everytown for Gun Safety’s “School Shootings in America since Sandy Hook,” which was then investigated further for accuracy and additional information. Six shootings listed by Everytown were excluded because ProCon could not verify a gun was discharged on school property. Note that the victim counts do not include the shooters.
| Date | Location | City, State | Killed | Injured | Age of shooter(s) | Gender of shooter(s) | Type of Shooting | Weapons | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan. 8, 2013 | Apostolic Revival Center Christian School | Fort Myers, FL | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | unknown | shooter unidentified |
| 2 | Jan. 14, 2013 | Taft Union High School | Taft, CA | 0 | 2 | 16 | M | assault | 12-gauge shotgun | arrested |
| Notes: An administrator persuaded the shooter to put down his gun before police arrived on scene. | ||||||||||
| 1 | Jan. 8, 2013 | Apostolic Revival Center Christian School | Fort Myers, FL | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | unknown | shooter unidentified |
| 2 | Jan. 14, 2013 | Taft Union High School | Taft, CA | 0 | 2 | 16 | M | assault | 12-gauge shotgun | arrested |
| Notes: An administrator persuaded the shooter to put down his gun before police arrived on scene. | ||||||||||
| 3 | Jan. 15, 2013 | Stevens Institute of Business & Arts | St. Louis, MO | 0 | 1 | 34 | M | assault | Kel-Tec 9mm semi-automatic pistol with its serial number filed off | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter, a student, shot a financial aid officer. He then shot and wounded himself before law enforcement arrived. | ||||||||||
| 4 | Jan. 15, 2013 | Hazard Community and Technical College | Hazard, KY | 2 | 1 | 21 | M | assault | semi-automatic pistol | turned himself in to police |
| Notes: One of the murder victims shared a child with the shooter. The two met to exchange the child for visitation. | ||||||||||
| 5 | Jan. 15, 2013 | Chicago State University | Chicago, IL | 1 | 0 | 32 | M | assault | unknown | both arrested |
| 29 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The shooting began with a brawl after a high school basketball game while the teams were shaking hands. | ||||||||||
| 6 | Jan. 22, 2013 | Lone Star College North Harris Campus | Houston, TX | 0 | 3 | 22 | M | assault | handgun | arrested |
| Notes: A personal dispute began when two young men bumped into each other in the doorway of a classroom building and escalated when the shooter pulled his gun and fired at least 10 shots. The shooter accidentally shot himself in the hip. | ||||||||||
| 7 | Jan. 31, 2013 | Price Middle School | Atlanta, GA | 0 | 1 | 15 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting began with a gang dispute, although it is not clear whether the victim was involved with a gang or was the intended target. An armed resource officer (an off-duty Atlanta police officer) disarmed the student. | ||||||||||
| 8 | Feb. 1, 2013 | Morehouse College | Atlanta, GA | 0 | 1 | 22 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting stemmed from an argument following a pick-up basketball game at the gym. | ||||||||||
| 9 | Feb. 7, 2013 | Indian River State College Treasure Coast Public Safety | Fort Pierce, FL | 0 | 1 | 19 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The incident began with reports of a man brandishing a gun while driving a green truck and a subsequent hit-and-run before he ended up on the college campus where police confronted him. | ||||||||||
| 10 | Feb. 13, 2013 | Hillside Elementary School | San Leandro, CA | 1 | 0 | 20 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: Incident began because the victim refused to pay the shooter $5 after a dice game. | ||||||||||
| 11 | Feb. 27, 2013 | Henry W. Grady High School | Atlanta, GA | 0 | 0 | 17 | F | accident | pink .380 caliber handgun | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter shot herself in the thigh by accident. | ||||||||||
| 12 | Mar. 18, 2013 | University of Central Florida | Orlando, FL | 0 | 0 | 30 | M | assault | American Tactical .22 caliber assault rifle; High Point .45 caliber handgun; high capacity magazines, including a drum magazine and 4 homemade IEDs with shrapnel | committed suicide before shooting anyone or police arrived |
| Notes: The shooter threatened his roommate with the rifle but the roommate fled and called police. A “to-do list” of the shooter’s for that night included getting drunk at a bar and then pulling the fire alarm before “give ’em hell.” | ||||||||||
| 13 | Mar. 21, 2013 | Davidson Middle School | Southgate, MI | 0 | 0 | 13 | M | suicide | .40 caliber glock | the 13-year-old committed suicide |
| Notes: No plans for a mass shooting were uncovered. | ||||||||||
| 14 | Apr. 12, 2013 | New River Community College, Satellite Campus | Christiansburg, VA | 0 | 2 | 22 | M | assault | shotgun | killed by law enforcement officers |
| Notes: The shooter was detained by an off-duty security guard as the shooter attempted to flee before being apprehended by police. | ||||||||||
| 15 | Apr. 13, 2013 | Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, NC | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: Shots were also fired on campus on Apr. 11, 2013 but the incidents seemed to be unrelated and no one was injured or killed in the Apr. 11 incident. | ||||||||||
| 16 | Apr. 15, 2013 | Grambling State University | Grambling, LA | 0 | 3 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The shooting began with a fight outside of a dorm. | ||||||||||
| 17 | Apr. 29, 2013 | La Salle High School | Cincinnati, OH | 0 | 0 | 17 | M | attempted suicide | .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun | taken to the hospital |
| Notes: The student attempted suicide in his first period computer lab with about 24 other students present. | ||||||||||
| 18 | June 7, 2013 | Santa Monica College (& a residence) | Santa Monica, CA | 5 | 4 | 23 | M | assault | handgun | killed by law enforcement officers |
| Notes: The shooter shot his father and brother before carjacking a vehicle and forcing the driver to take him to the college, allowing the driver to leave once there but shooting more people. | ||||||||||
| 19 | June 19, 2013 | Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts | West Palm Beach, FL | 2 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | suspect sought |
| Notes: The victims were both custodians at the school, as was the person of interest. | ||||||||||
| 20 | Aug. 20, 2013 | Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy | Decatur, GA | 0 | 0 | 20 | M | assault | AK-47 | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter also had 498 rounds of ammunition. He exchanged gunfire with police but no one was injured or killed. | ||||||||||
| 21 | Aug. 22, 2013 | Westside Elementary School | Memphis, TN | 0 | 0 | 5 | M | accident | handgun | n/a |
| Notes: The parents were indicted on reckless endangerment charges. The child’s 8-year-old sister previously found the gun. Then the 5-year-old found the gun and took it to school in his backpack where it discharged in the cafeteria. | ||||||||||
| 22 | Aug. 23, 2013 | North Panola High School | Sardis, MS | 1 | 0 | 17 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| 21 | M | |||||||||
| 21 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The victim was shot in the chest in a gunfight between rival gangs at a high school football game. It is unclear if the victims was a gang member. The shooting reportedly preceded a shooting at neighboring Green Hill Elementary School the same night but information on the latter shooting could not be confirmed. | ||||||||||
| 23 | Aug. 30, 2013 | Carver High School | Winston-Salem, NC | 0 | 1 | 18 | M | assault | .38 caliber handgun | arrested |
| 24 | Sep. 21, 2013 | Savannah State University | Savannah, GA | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| 25 | Sep. 28, 2013 | New Gloucester High School | Gray, ME | 0 | 0 | 19 | M | suicide | unidentified | suicide |
| Notes: The 19-year-old committed suicide in the school parking lot on a Saturday afternoon while several athletics events were taking place. The man was not a student but was allegedly in a relationship with one of the competing athletes on campus at the time. | ||||||||||
| 26 | Oct. 4, 2013 | Agape Christian Academy | Pine Hills, FL | 0 | 2 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The shooting appeared to be part of an ongoing dispute with a 16-year-old as the target and a 17-year-old hit as a bystander. | ||||||||||
| 27 | Oct. 15, 2013 | Lanier High School | Austin, TX | 0 | 0 | 16 | M | suicide | unidentified | suicide |
| Notes: The student committed suicide at lunch time. | ||||||||||
| 28 | Oct. 21, 2014 | Sparks Middle School | Sparks, NV | 1 | 2 | 12 | M | assault | handgun | suicide |
| Notes: The student committed suicide before law enforcement arrived. | ||||||||||
| 29 | Nov. 2, 2013 | North Carolina A&T State University | Greensboro, NC | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | suspects sought |
| Notes: The police were looking for four unnamed suspects. The shots came from a “considerable distance” during homecoming weekend celebrations. | ||||||||||
| 30 | Nov. 3, 2013 | Stephenson High School | Stone Mountain, GA | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | suspects sought |
| Notes: An unidentified group of students from another school were apparently trespassing and started an altercation that resulted in the trespassing students shooting a football player. | ||||||||||
| 31 | Nov. 21, 2013 | South Dakota School of Mines & Technology | Rapid City, SD | 0 | 0 | 37 | M | suicide | unidentified | suicide |
| Notes: The man was an Assistant Professor of Physics at the college. | ||||||||||
| 32 | Dec. 4, 2013 | West Orange High School | Winter Garden, FL | 0 | 1 | 17 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting followed a fight while school was being dismissed for the day. | ||||||||||
| 33 | Dec. 13, 2013 | Arapahoe High School | Centennial, CO | 1 | 0 | 18 | M | assault | shotgun, machete, & 3 Molotov cocktails | suicide |
| Notes: The shooter committed suicide when a school resource officer approached him. | ||||||||||
| 34 | Dec. 19, 2013 | Edison High School | Fresno, CA | 0 | 1 | 17 | M | assault | handgun(s) | arrested |
| 16 | M | |||||||||
| 16 | M | |||||||||
| 16 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: Police suspect the 4 teenagers were completing a gang initiation. They shot the teacher on school property after beating a 62-year-old woman on the street. | ||||||||||
| 35 | Jan. 9, 2014 | Liberty Technology Magnet High School | Jackson, TN | 0 | 1 | 16 | M | assault | handgun with altered serial numbers | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting followed a fight while school was being dismissed for the day. | ||||||||||
| 36 | Jan. 14, 2015 | Berrendo Middle School | Roswell, NM | 0 | 2 | 12 | M | assault | sawed-off shotgun | detained |
| Notes: The shooting happened before school while children waited in the heated gym during cold weather. A staff member asked the shooter to put down the gun and the shooter complied. A state police lieutenant dropping off his own child helped detain the shooter after that. | ||||||||||
| 37 | Jan. 17, 2015 | Delaware Valley Charter High School | Philadelphia, PA | 0 | 2 | 17 | M | assault | handgun | arrested |
| Notes: An 18-year-old man purchased the gun from an unidentified man and then passed the gun to the shooter, who as a guest of the school did not have to go through the metal detectors. It was rumored that the shooter would be the victim of an assault after school and police think that may have been the motive for bringing the gun to campus. | ||||||||||
| 38 | Jan. 20, 2014 | Widener University | Chester, PA | 0 | 1 | ? | M | assault | police believe a revolver was used | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The victim, a student football player, was shot in the head and shoulder while sitting in his car outside the athletics complex. Police do not believe the shooting was random. | ||||||||||
| 39 | Jan. 21, 2014 | Purdue University | West Lafayette, IN | 1 | 0 | 23 | M | assault | unidentified | shooter turned himself in to police |
| Notes: The shooter walked into a basement classroom and shot the teaching assistant (TA). | ||||||||||
| 40 | Jan. 24, 2014 | South Carolina State University | Orangeburg, SC | 1 | 0 | 19 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting occurred after an argument in a residence hall. The shooter was convicted and sentenced to 65 years. He committed suicide in prison on Oct. 28, 2014. | ||||||||||
| 41 | Jan. 27, 2014 | Rebound High School | Carbondale, IL | 0 | 1 | 18 | M | assault | handgun | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter shot the father of another student. | ||||||||||
| 42 | Jan. 28, 2014 | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The victim and shooter were arguing about a gambling debt following a basketball game. | ||||||||||
| 43 | Jan. 31, 2014 | Cesar Chavez High School | Phoenix, AZ | 0 | 0 | 23 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| 20 | M | |||||||||
| 20 | M | |||||||||
| 17 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: A gang rivalry over turf turned into a gun battle at a basketball game. | ||||||||||
| 44 | Jan. 31, 2014 | North High School | Des Moines, IA | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooters unidentified |
| Notes: A 15-year-old girl was shot and wounded in the parking lot following a basketball game. Witnesses saw a black SUV with six to 10 male passengers and said the gunshots came from the vehicle. | ||||||||||
| 45 | Feb. 7, 2014 | Bend High School | Bend, OR | 0 | 0 | 17 | M | suicide | unidentified | suicide |
| Notes: The 17-year-old committed suicide in a modular classroom where other students were present. | ||||||||||
| 46 | Feb. 10, 2014 | Salisbury High School | Salisbury, NC | 0 | 1 | 17 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting seems to have stemmed from a fight that occurred over the weekend. | ||||||||||
| 47 | Feb. 11, 2014 | Brush High School | Lyndhurst, OH | 0 | 0 | 17 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| 17 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The two shooters may have fired shots at an 18-year-old over a dispute about a girl. | ||||||||||
| 48 | Feb. 12, 2014 | Union University | Jackson, TN | 1 | 0 | 21 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter killed his fiancée and then staged the scene in a campus parking lot to make it look like a suicide. | ||||||||||
| 49 | Feb. 20, 2014 | Raytown Success Academy | Raytown, MD | 1 | 0 | 42 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter said he killed the victim (a 20-year-old man) because the younger man supposedly had a relationship with the shooter’s wife. The victim had children enrolled in the school and the shooting took place in the parking lot. | ||||||||||
| 50 | Mar. 2, 2014 | McDaniel College | Westminster, MD | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | handgun | shooters unidentified |
| Notes: Eyewitnesses said two males were the shooters. | ||||||||||
| 51 | Mar. 7, 2014 | Madison High School | Tallulah, LA | 0 | 0 | 17 | M | assault | AK-47; .45 caliber handgun; .22 caliber handgun; additional magazines; 12-inch knife | arrested |
| Notes: The student was charged with possessing a weapon in a prohibited place and making a terroristic threat. | ||||||||||
| 52 | Mar. 8, 2014 | University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh | Oshkosh, WI | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | handgun | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The shot was fired at a school dance. Police were looking for a male suspect. | ||||||||||
| 53 | Mar. 21, 2014 | University of Delaware | Newark, DE | 0 | 0 | 20 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting occurred after an altercation on a basketball court. | ||||||||||
| 54 | Apr. 3, 2014 | Kent State University | Kent, OH | 0 | 0 | 24 | M | accident | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The shooter took out the gun and accidentally shot himself in the hand during an argument with two women. | ||||||||||
| 55 | Apr. 11, 2014 | East English Preparatory Academy | Detroit, MI | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooters unidentified |
| Notes: Police believe the shooters were likely gang members but do not believe the victim was targeted. Shots were fired into the crowd at an awards ceremony for high school seniors and their families. | ||||||||||
| 56 | Apr. 16, 2014 | Stillman College | Tuscaloosa, AL | 0 | 1 | 22 | M | assault | small caliber handgun | arrested |
| Notes: The shooting began with a fight over an unpaid betting debt. | ||||||||||
| 57 | Apr. 21, 2014 | St. Mary Catholic School | Griffith, IN | 1 | 0 | ? | M | assault | unidentified | suicide |
| Notes: The shooter killed his estranged wife in the school parking lot where she was waiting with their 16-year-old daughter for their 14-year-old son to finish an after-school program. He committed suicide when police arrived. | ||||||||||
| 58 | Apr. 21, 2014 | Provo High School | Provo, UT | 0 | 0 | 14 | M | attempted suicide | .22 caliber pistol | taken to the hospital |
| Notes: The shooter attempted to commit suicide but failed. He called the police himself and was taken to the hospital with relatively minor injuries. There seem to have been no witnesses. | ||||||||||
| 59 | Apr. 16, 2014 | Iowa Western Community College | Council Bluffs, IA | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooters unidentified |
| Notes: Two students arranged to meet a man to sell an unidentified item. At the meeting place, a car with three unknown men drove up and the two of the men got into the car with the students. One of the men pulled a gun and one student thought it was fake and tried to take it away from the unknown man, causing the gun to fire and shoot the student in the shoulder. | ||||||||||
| 60 | May 2, 2014 | Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI | 0 | 1 | 20 | M | assault | handgun | arrested |
| 20 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The shooting was connected to three robberies and took place in a parking garage. | ||||||||||
| 61 | May 3, 2014 | Horizon Elementary School | Everett, WA | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unknown | shooters unidentified |
| Notes: The shooting occurred after an argument on a basketball court. Police were not certain the shooting was gang-related but other gang-related shootings occurred close by. | ||||||||||
| 62 | May 4, 2014 | Paine College | Augusta, GA | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unknown | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The shooter fired into a dorm. | ||||||||||
| 63 | May 5, 2014 | Paine College | Augusta, GA | 0 | 1 | 20 | M | assault | unknown | arrested |
| Notes: The victim was shot in the head in the administration building. | ||||||||||
| 64 | May 8, 2014 | Georgetown College | Georgetown, KY | 0 | 1 | 24 | M | accident | semi-automatic pistol | arrested |
| Notes: The gun was fired accidentally and hit a football player in the leg. | ||||||||||
| 65 | May 8, 2014 | Georgia Gwinnett College | Lawrenceville, GA | 0 | 1 | ? | M | suspected suicide attempt | unidentified | unknown |
| 66 | May 21, 2014 | Clark Street School | Milwaukee, WI | 0 | 1 | 28 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| 28 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: A 10-year old girl was on the school playground and caught in the crossfire between the two shooters. | ||||||||||
| 67 | June 5, 2014 | Seattle Pacific University | Seattle, WA | 1 | 4 | 26 | M | assault | shotgun and knife | arrested |
| Notes: A student building monitor and several other students subdued the shooter with pepper spray, disarmed, and held him until police arrived. | ||||||||||
| 68 | June 10, 2014 | Reynolds High School | Troutdale, OR | 1 | 1 | 15 | M | assault | AR-15 rifle; semi-automatic handgun; nine loaded magazines; a large knife | suicide |
| Notes: The victim walked into the locker room where the shooter was outfitting himself with a vest to hold the magazines, a helmet, and taking the AR-15 from his guitar case. | ||||||||||
| 69 | June 23, 2014 | Kelly High School | Benton, MO | 1 | 0 | ? | M | accident | 2 firearms | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: Four teen boys were playing basketball at the school and were going to ride home in the truck of one of the boys’ grandfather, which contained two firearms. One of the boys passed the gun to the victim and the gun accidentally discharged, killing the victim. | ||||||||||
| 70 | June 27, 2014 | University of Miami | Miami, FL | 0 | 0 | 35 | F | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Note: The shooter identifies as female but was identified as male on her driver’s license. The shooter had an altercation with an employee in the University’s Communications Department building. Apparently the two had recently broken up and the shooter intended to kill the victim. The two struggled and the gun discharged. | ||||||||||
| 71 | Aug. 13, 2014 | Heather Ridge High School | Fredrick, MD | 0 | 0 | 16 | M | assault | handguns | arrested |
| 21 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The two shooters shot at each other. They have no known connection to the school and no one else was present at the school at the time of the shooting. | ||||||||||
| 72 | Aug. 14, 2014 | Saunders Elementary | Newport News. VA | 2 | 1 | 17 | M | assault | 12-gauge shotgun | arrested |
| Notes: Police did not identify a motive. The shooter shot three teenagers on school property. One of the injured teenagers fled to a house where police were called. | ||||||||||
| 73 | Sep. 2, 2014 | Idaho State University | Pocatello, ID | 0 | 0 | ? | M | accident | small caliber semi-automatic handgun | taken to the hospital |
| Notes: The shooter, a professor, was teaching while carrying his permitted concealed gun. The gun accidentally discharged, shooting him in the foot. 20 students were present in the classroom. | ||||||||||
| 74 | Sep. 5, 2014 | Savannah State University | Savannah, GA | 0 | 2 | 18 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: According to witnesses, the shooter attempted an armed robbery of a dorm room. | ||||||||||
| 75 | Sep. 10, 2014 | Greenwood Lakes Middle School | Lake Mary, FL | 0 | 0 | 14 | M | suicide | .40-caliber pistol | suicide |
| Notes: The 14-year-old’s body was found in the bathroom at 11pm. It is unclear when he committed suicide. | ||||||||||
| 76 | Sep. 11, 2014 | Westbrook Elementary School | Taylorsville, UT | 0 | 0 | ? | F | accident | 9mm handgun | charged |
| Notes: The shooter, a sixth-grade teacher, was injured when the concealed gun she was carrying accidentally discharged while she was using the faculty restroom. She had placed the gun on the toilet paper dispenser and the bullet shattered the toilet, sending shards of the toilet and bullet fragments into her leg. The incident occurred before school hours. She was charged with violating the concealed carry laws that require educators to have concealed weapons on their person at all times when on a school campus. | ||||||||||
| 77 | Sep. 24, 2014 | Joel C. Harris Academy | San Antonio, TX | 0 | 0 | 12 | M | accident | .22-caliber handgun loaded with blanks | detained |
| 14 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The 14-year-old boy asked the 12-year-old boy to hold the gun for him. The 12-year-old boy put the gun in his backpack. The weapon discharged when the 12-year-old boy put his backpack down on a table. | ||||||||||
| 78 | Sep. 26, 2014 | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN | 0 | ? | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The shooting occurred around 9pm. | ||||||||||
| 79 | Sep. 27, 2014 | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN | 0 | 2 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The shooting occurred around 3:30am in a dorm. | ||||||||||
| 80 | Sep. 29, 2014 | Indiana State University | Terre Haute, IN | 0 | 1 | 21 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: The motive for the shooting seemed to be gambling. | ||||||||||
| 81 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Albermarle High School | Albermarle, NC | 0 | 1 | ? | M | assault | unidentified | turned himself in |
| Notes: The shooter and the victim had been having an argument for a few days leading up to the shooting. After the shooting, the shooter dropped the weapon, walked to the front office, and turned himself in to the school’s resource officer. | ||||||||||
| 82 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Fern High School | Louisville, KY | 0 | 1 | 16 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| 83 | Oct. 3, 2014 | Langston Hughes High School | Fairburn, GA | 1 | 0 | 18 | M | assault | unidentified | 1 arrested; the other was being sought by police |
| 19 | M | |||||||||
| Notes: The shooting happened after the homecoming football game. | ||||||||||
| 84 | Oct. 8, 2014 | Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City, NC | 0 | 0 | 24 | M | assault | unidentified | arrested |
| Notes: Shots were fired near the outdoor classroom at the center of campus and were the result of an argument with another student. The shooter said he “fired a warning shot.” | ||||||||||
| 85 | Oct. 13, 2014 | Tennessee State University | Nashville, TN | 0 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: Shots were fired in the parking lot of a dorm. | ||||||||||
| 86 | Oct. 18, 2014 | Langston University | Langston, OK | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| 87 | Oct. 21, 2014 | A. Maceo Walker Middle School | Memphis TN | 0 | 0 | 13 | M | accident | unidentified | taken to hospital |
| Notes: The boy brought a loaded gun to school and, when he was going to show off the gun to the other kids, dropped his backpack and the gun inside discharged. | ||||||||||
| 88 | Oct. 24, 2014 | Marysville-Pilchuck High School | Marysville, WA | 1 | 4 | 15 | M | assault | unidentified | committed suicide |
| Notes: Allegedly, the shooter and another boy had an argument about a girl. The girl was one of the injured victims. | ||||||||||
| 89 | Nov. 3, 2014 | Delaware State University | Dover, DE | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| 90 | Nov. 20, 2014 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | 1 | 3 | 31 | M | assault | handgun | killed by law enforcement officers |
| Notes: The shooter opened fire in the library. | ||||||||||
| 91 | Nov. 23, 2014 | St. John’s College | Annapolis, MD | 0 | 1 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: A 17-year-old girl was shot near a private party for a 15-year-old on St. John’s campus. | ||||||||||
| 92 | Dec. 5, 2014 | Rogers State University | Claremore, OK | 0 | 0 | 38 | M | assault | unidentified | committed suicide |
| Notes: The shooter fired shots into a classroom building when he saw a woman he knew. The shooter was a former Tulsa police officer. | ||||||||||
| 93 | Dec. 16, 2014 | Sunnyside Elementary School | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | assault | unidentified | shooter unidentified |
| Notes: The victim was found dead in a car in the campus parking lot by a student’s grandfather who was waiting for the child after school. It seems the shooting happened overnight and the victim went unnoticed until school dismissal. | ||||||||||
| 94 | Dec. 17, 2014 | Benton Elementary School | Waterville, ME | 0 | 0 | 41 | M | assault | .38 caliber handgun | committed suicide |
| Notes: The shooter seemed to under the influence of a number of unidentified drugs (syringes, prescriptions, and a half of a bottle of cough syrup were found in the car. | ||||||||||
Sources for School Shootings
- 10 News Staff, “3 Injured in Bethune-Cookman Univ. Shooting,” wtsp.com, Feb. 23, 2015
- 11Alive Staff, “Deadly High School Shooting Suspect in Custody,” 11alive.com, Oct. 11, 2014
- ABC13 Staff, “2 Wanted for Questioning about Sat. Night Shooting at Elizabeth City State Univ.,” 13news.now.com, Apr. 16, 2013
- Lauren Abdel-Razzaq, “Craig: Gang Shooting Leaves ‘Good Detroiter’ in Critical Condition,” detroitnews.com, Apr. 12, 2014
- Macradee Aegerter, “Man Charged with Shooting Death of Man outside Raytown School,” fox4kc.com, Feb. 21, 2014
- Roberto Acosto, “Seven People Shot in Parking Lot outside Flint High School,” mlive.com, May 24, 2015
- Roberto Acosto, “Two Men Charged in Shooting at Southwestern Academy in Flint,” mlive.com, May 27, 2015
- Saeed Ahmed, “Students Told It’s Safe to Come to Class after 2 Shootings in 2 Days on Campus,” cnn.com, May 6, 2014
- Erin Alberty, “Teen Shoots Himself in the Face at Provo High,” sltrib.com, Apr. 21, 2014
- Bob Allen, “Union University Student Charged with Murder,” baptistnews.com, Feb. 18, 2014
- Jeff Allen, “Father: Son Found Dead at School Was Bullied,” mynews13.com, Sep. 12, 2014
- AP, “1 Shot at North Carolina A&T University,” usatoday.com, Nov. 3, 2013
- AP, “Grambling State Students Shot on Campus in Louisiana,” huffingtonpost.com, Apr. 16, 2013
- AP, “School Shooting at Price Middle School in Atlanta, GA Wounds Teen,” abc13.com, Jan. 31, 2013
- AP, “Teacher Takes Plea after Gun Discharges at School,” dailymail.com, Nov. 5, 2014
- Allie Bidwell, “Purdue Senior in Custody after Allegedly Shooting, Killing Another Student,” usnews.com, Jan. 22, 2014
- Arkansas Matters, “Shooting on Elementary School Parking Lot Leaves 2 in Serious Condition,” arkansasmatters.com, Feb. 16, 2015
- John Bacon and Michael Winter, “Former Student Sought in N.C. College Slaying,” usatoday.com Apr, 13, 2015
- David Bailey, “Purdue University Shooter Found Dead in Indiana Prison,” chicagotribune.com, Oct. 29, 2014
- Jamie Bastas, “17-Year-Old Charged after Teens Found Dead in School Parking Lot,” wavy.com, Aug. 14, 2014
- Trisha Bee, “Police Investigate Shooting in Parking Lot of Wisconsin Lutheran High School,” fox6now.com, Jan. 16, 2015
- Jessica Bies and Nate Gottlieb, “UPDATED Student Identified in Library Suicide,” mankatofreepress.com, Feb. 2, 2015
- Christian Boone and Mark Niesse, “Student Who Shot Herself at Grady High Due in Court,” ajc.com, Feb. 28, 2013
- Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, “Major School Shootings in the United States Since 1997,” cdn.factcheck.org, June 17, 2014
- Heather Browne, “Shooting at Rogers State University – Suspect Identified,” okcfox.com, Dec. 26, 2014
- Kate Brumback, “Police Investigate If Atlanta School Shooting Gang-Related,” onlineathens.com, Feb. 1, 2013
- Debbie Bryce, “ISU Prof with Concealed Weapons Permit Who Accidentally Shot His Foot in Class Is Identified,” idahostatejournal.com, Sep. 4, 2014
- Linh Bui,” Police Search for Suspects in McDaniel College Shooting That Put Campus on Lockdown,” baltimore.cbslocal.com, Mar. 2, 2014
- Stephanie Butts, “Robinson High School Senior Commits Suicide at School,” wacotrib.com, May 20, 2015
- Andrew Cauthen, “Stephenson High School Player Shot on Campus,” thechampionnewpapers.com, Nov. 4, 2013
- Victoria Cavaliere, “Indiana State University Student Arrested in Campus Shooting,” reuters.com, Sep. 28, 2014
- Andrea Cavallier, “Victim, Suspected Shooter Identified in Albemarle High School Shooting,” myfox8.com, Sep. 30, 2014
- CBS and AP, “Gun in Kindergartener’s Backpack Goes Off at Memphis Elementary,” cbsnews.com, Aug. 22, 2013
- CBS46, “Morehouse College Student Shot on Campus,” cbs46.com, Mar. 2, 2013
- CBS 58, “Father Charged in Shooting outside Wisconsin Lutheran High School,” cbs58.com, Jan. 22, 2015
- CBSDetroit, “Teen Commits Suicide in Middle School Bathroom,” detroit.cbslocal.com, Mar. 21, 2013
- CBS Minnesota, “Police: Man Fires Shot at School before Shooting Himself,” minnesota.cbslocal.com, Jan. 26, 2015
- Maria Luis Cesar, “Armed Madison High School Student Arrested Following Lockdown,” mysanantonio.com, Apr. 28, 2014
- David Chang, Dan Stamm, and Wire Reports, “Widener Student Shot, Gunman on the Loose,” nbcphiladelphia.com, Jan. 21, 2014
- David Chang, “Student Shot outside Delaware State University Residence Hall,” nbcphiladelphia.com, Nov. 3, 2014
- Paul Choate, “Teen Shot at Salisbury High School; Suspect Sought,” myfox8.com, Feb. 20, 2014
- Elizabeth Chuck, “Authorities: Georgia Shooting Suspect Had Nearly 500 Rounds of Ammunition,” nbcnews.com, Aug. 21, 2013
- Barbara Christiansen, “Student Shoots Himself at Provo High, Didn’t Target Others,” heraldextra.com, Apr. 21, 2014
- The Clarion-Ledger, “1 Hurt in Shooting at Georgia Gwinnett College,” clarionledger.com, May 8, 2014
- Cindy Clayton, “Gun Scare Puts N.C. Campus on Temporary Lockdown,” hamptonroads.com, Apr. 13, 2013
- Dash Coleman, “UPDATE: Arrest Made in Savannah State Shooting; Lockdown Lifted,” savannahnow.com, Sep. 5, 2014
- Dash Coleman, “UPDATE: Student Charged in Savannah State Shooting,” savannahnow.com, Sep. 6, 2014
- Crimesider Staff, “Esteban Smith Shooting Update: Marine’s Slain Wife Surprised Him with Visit before He Killed Her, Went on Shooting Rampage,” cbsnews.com, May 30, 2013
- Crimesider Staff, “La Salle High School Shooting Update: Ohio Student Who Shot Himself in Classroom Reportedly ‘Fighting for His Life,’ Report Says,” cbsnews.com, Apr. 29, 2013
- Joel Currier, “Shooter at St. Louis Career College Used Gun with Serial Number Filed Off,” stltoday.com, Jan. 16, 2013
- Colleen Curry, “UCF Gunman’s To-Do List Ended with ‘Give ‘Em Hell,’” abcnews.go.com, Mar. 19, 2013
- Madasyn Czebiniak, “Sunnside School Parking Lot Victim Identified as Stanton Heights Man,” post-gazette.com, Dec. 17, 2014
- Daily News Staff, “Man Suffers Minor Wound in Everglades City Shooting,” naplesnews.com, May 28, 2015
- Van Darden, “SAISD: Gun Discharged at Harris Middle School,” ksat.com, Sep. 24, 2014
- Katie Delong and Bret Lemoine, “Fighting for Her Life: 10-Year-Old Girl Shot in the Head while Playing on the Playground,” fox6now.com, May 22, 2014
- Katie Delong and Jenna Sachs, “Milwaukee Police: 10-Year-Old Girl ‘Caught in the Crossfire’ & Shot on Playground,” fox6now.com, May 21, 2014
- Katie Delong, “Busted: Two Charged in Series of Robberies, Shooting Involving Marquette Students,” fox6now.com, May 12, 2014
- Alex Dobuzinskis, “Boy, 12, Opens Fire at New Mexico School, Wounds Two Students,” news.yahoo.com, Jan. 14, 2014
- Ralph Ellis, Greg Botelho, and Ben Brumfield, “Arrest Made in Deadly Shooting at S.C. State University,” cnn.com, Jan. 26, 2014
- Tyler Estep, “On-Campus Shooting at Georgia Gwinnett College Possibly a Suicide Attempt,” gwinnettdailypost.com, May 8 2014
- Everett Community College, “Update: Gunshot Fired at EvCC Saturday Morning,” everettcc.edu, Apr. 6, 2015
- Everett Police Blotter, “Man Arrested after Shot Fired at Everett Community College,” myeverettnews.com, Apr. 4, 2015
- Everytown for Gun Safety, “School Shootings in America since Sandy Hook,” everytown.org, July 10, 2015 Cassie Fambro, “One Shot in Buttock after Williamson High School Basketball Game,” al.com, Jan. 20, 2015
- Paul Farrell, “Teen Father Commits Suicide at High School: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” heavy.com, Oct. 15, 2013
- Adam Ferrise, “Police: Two Boys Charged in Brush High Shooting May Have Fired Shots at Man over Girl,” cleveland.com, Feb. 12, 2014
- Alex Fitzpatrick, “Student ‘Critical’ after Shooting at Widener University in Pennsylvania,” nation.time.com, Jan. 20, 2014
- Mark Follman, Gavin Aronsen, and Deanna Pan, “A Guide to Mass Shootings in America,” motherjones.com, July 24, 2014
- Quinn Ford, “Gunman Killed, 3 Students Wounded in FSU Campus Shooting,” chicagotribune.com, Nov. 20, 2014
- FOX59, “Motive behind Indiana State University Shooting Was Gambling, Says Court Documents,” fox59.com, Sep. 29, 2014
- Fox 8 Web Staff, “2 Armed Suspects Found on NC Elementary School Campus in Custody,” myfox8.com, June 5, 2015 Kevin Genovario, “Esteban Smith, Marine Murderer: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know,” heavy.com, May 27, 2013
- Andrew Goldstein, “Man Accidentally Shoots Himself in Leg outside Beaver County College,” post-gazette.com, Apr. 2, 2015
- Claudia Grisales, Ciara O’Rourke, and Katie Paschall, “Lanier Student Was Sitting Alone before Shooting, Students Say,” statesman.com, Oct. 15, 2013
- Christy Hendrick, “Police Identify Primary Suspect in Shooting near Carbondale School,” kfvs.com, Jan. 28, 2014
- Johanna Holub, “Falcon Heights Man Shoots at Roseville School, Dies of Self-Inflicted Gunshot,” bulletin-news.com, Feb. 3, 2015
- Alexi Howk, “Shooting Reported at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce,” tcpalm.com, Feb. 7, 2013
- Huffington Post College, “Tennessee State University Shooting: Gunman Opens Fire on Campus, Injuring 1,” huffingtonpost.com, Jan. 29, 2014
- David Ibanez, “School Official: Seguin High School Student Shoots, Kills Self,” ksat.com, Apr. 17, 2015
- Jackson Tennessee Police Department, “Teen Student Will Be Tried as Adult in January Shooting at Liberty High School,” nixle.com, Apr. 9, 2014
- Mariana Jacob, “Multiple Arrests Made in Edison High School Teacher Shooting,” abc30.com, Dec. 24, 2013
- Sarah Jarvis and Richard Obert, “Tempe Corona Lockdown Ends after Student Suicide,” azcentral.com, May 12, 2015
- Brittany Jeffers, “RSU Shooter Identified as Former Tulsa Police Officer,” fox23.com, Dec. 6, 2014
- Autumn Johnson, “Man Sentenced to Prison for Fatal 2013 Shooting at Hillside Elementary,” patch.com, June 14, 2014
- Joe Johnson, “UGA Police Arrest Student in Campus Shooting Incident,” onlineathens.com, Feb. 17, 2015
- Tachana Johnson, “Fight over Money Leads to Shooting at Stillman College,” abc3340.com, Apr. 17, 2013
- Elliott Jones, “Nkoise McClain: Indian River State College Treasure Coast Public Safety Complex Shooting Suspect,” wptv.com, Feb. 8, 2013
- Yolanda Jones, “Student Shoots Himself in Leg at A. Maceo Walker Middle, Memphis Police Say,” commercialappeal.com, Oct. 21, 2014
- Yolanda Jones, “Three Arrested in Panola County Slaying as Authorities Blame Gangs,” commercialappeal.com, Aug. 26, 2013
- Drew Joseph, “Middle School Placed on Lockdown after Gun Fired in Classroom near Downtown San Antonio,” mysanantonio.com, Sep. 24, 2014
- Marisa Kabas, “A High School Student Posted One Last Tweet before Reportedly Taking His Own Life,” dailydot.com, May 20, 2015
- Dal Kalsi, “NC Sherriff: Suspect Said They Would Have Shot Children If ‘God’s Will,’” foxcarolina.com, July 3, 2015
- KCRA.com, “Young Man Fatally Shot in Parking Lot of Merced School,” kcra.com, Feb. 16, 2015
- Theo Keith, “Fern Creek High School Shooting Suspect Faces Multiple Charges,” wave3.com, Nov. 14, 2014
- Robin Kennedy, “Update: Arrest Made in Shooting of Salisbury High School Student,” fox10phoeniz.com, Jan. 16, 2015
- Chis Kenning, Alison Ross, and Claire Galafaro, “Students Describe Chaos in Fern Creek Shooting,” courier-journal.com, Oct. 1, 2014
- King 5 News, “Teacher Hailed as Hero in Lacey High School Shooting,” kgw.com, Apr. 27, 2015
- Shelby R. King, “Details Emerge in Bend High Suicide,” bendbulletin.com, Feb. 15, 2014
- KIRO 7 Staff and AP, “Police: Seattle Shooter Visited Columbine, ‘Wanted to Shoot up a School,” kirotv.com, June 6, 2014
- Samantha Kluesner, “No Foul Play Suspected in Shooting Death of Teen,” semissourian.com, June 25, 2015
- Seth Koenig, “Police Release Name of Teen Who Shot Himself during Homecoming Festivities in Gray,” bangordailynews.com, Sep. 30, 2013
- KOMO Staff and AP, “2 Dead, 4 Critically Injured in Shooting at Marysville High School,” komonews.com, Oct. 25, 2014
- Matt Kreamer, “2 Dead, 4 Wounded in Shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School,” blogs.seattletimes.com, Oct. 24, 2014
- KTVZ, “Bend High Tragedy: Student Shoots, Kills Self,” ktvz.com, Feb. 7, 2014 Henry K. Lee, “Probe: Dice-Game Victim Slain over $5 Bet,” sfgate.com, Feb. 27, 2013
- Tim Lloyd, Maria Altman, Rachel Lippmann, Kelsey Proud, and Adam Allington, “Charges Filed Related to Stevens Institute of Business & Arts Shooting,” news.stlouispublicradio.org, Jan. 15, 2013
- Darice Loreno, “1 Killed, 1 Hurt in Late-Night Shooting at Elementary School Playground,” fox8.com, May 5, 2015
- Gail Tziperman Lotan, “Police: Accused Gunman Arrested in Connection with B-CU Shooting,” orlandosentinel.com, Mar. 26, 2015
- Ashley Luthern and Crocker Stephenson, “Second Man Charged in Playground Shooting Led ‘Feral’ Life,” jsonline.com, June 2, 2014
- Ashley Luthern, “Arrest Made in Robberies, Shooting Reported Near Marquette University,” jsonline.com, May 2, 2014
- Ashley Luthern, “Milwaukee Man Charged in Wisconsin Lutheran High School Shooting,” jsonline.com, Jan. 22, 2015
- Courtney Mabeus, “Two Face Charges in Wednesday Gunfire at Heather Ridge School,” fredericknewspost.com, Aug. 15, 2014
- Zeke MacCormach, “Student, Son of Seguin Police Officer Dead after Self-Inflicted Gunshot at High School,” mysanantonio.com, Apr. 17, 2015
- Michael Martinez, “1 Student Critical, 1 Stable after Boy Opens Fire in New Mexico Middle School Gym,” cnn.com, Jan. 15, 2014
- Marquette University, “Two Students in Custody Following Armed Robberies, Shooting Incident on Campus,” marquette.edu, May 7, 2014 Mass Shooting Tracker, shootingtracker.com (accessed July 27, 2015)
- McDaniel College, “Information Regarding Campus Incident – March 2,” mcdaniel.edu, Mar. 2, 2014
- Austin L. Miller, “Two Injured When Shots Fired in Vanguard High Parking Lot,” ocala.com, Jan. 16, 2015
- Maurice Miller, “3 Shot on TSU Campus,” msmv.com, Oct. 11, 2014
- Joe Millitzer, Andy Banker, Anthony Kiekow, and Roche Madden, “Student Shoots Advisor at St. Louis School; Turns Gun on Himself,” fox2now.com, Jan. 15, 2013
- Veronica Miracle, “Teenager Found Shot to Death in Merced School Parking Lot,” abc30.com, Feb. 15, 2015
- Bill Miston, “UW-Oshkosk Police Look to ID Person Who Fired Shot,” fox11online.com, Mar. 10, 2014
- Moms Demand Action and Mayors against Illegal Guns, “Analysis of School Shootings, December 15, 2012 – February 10, 2014,” blogs.edweek.org (accessed July 27, 2015)
- Rick Montanez, “ROP Teacher Shot at Edison High School in Southwest Fresno,” abc30.com, Dec. 19, 2013
- Edward D. Murphy, “19-Year-Old Kills Himself at Gray-New Gloucester High School,” pressherald.com, Sep. 28, 2013
- MyFoxAtlanta Staff, “Langston Hughes High on High Alert after Shooting,” myfoxatlanta.com, Feb. 22, 2015
- MyFoxAtlanta Staff, “Man Shot at Morehouse College after Argument over Basketball Game,” myfoxatlanta.com, June 21, 2013
- MyFoxChicago, “1 Dead in Shooting outside Griffith Catholic School,” myfoxchicago.com, May 5, 2014
- MyFoxDetroit, “Teen Commits Suicide at Middle School in Southgate,” myfoxdetroit.com, Mar. 22, 2013
- MyFoxMemphis, “Charges Filed against Two Adults after a 5-Year-Old Brings Loaded Gun to School,” myfoxmemphis.com, Sep. 16, 2013
- NBC Chicago, “2 Charged in Fatal Shooting outside Chicago State University,” nbcchicago.com, Jan. 19, 2013
- Jonquil Newland, “TSU Police Investigate Multiple Shootings Friday Night,” scrippsmedia.com, Sep. 27, 2014
- News13, “Student Shot at West Orange High School in Winter Garden,” mynews13.com, Dec. 4, 2013
- Chris Oberholtz, DeAnn Smith, Jeanene Kiesling, Laura McCallister, and Jamie Oberg, “Lockdown Lifted after Fatal Shooting near Raytown Alternative School,” kctv5.com, Mar. 22, 2014
- Ocala Post, “Shooting at Vanguard High School; 2 Injured,” ocalapost.com, Jan. 17, 2015
- Karan Olson and Dana Ford, “Suspect in Kentucky High School Shooting in Custody,” cnn.com, Sep. 30, 2014
- The Oregonian/Oregon Live, “Oregon High School Shooting: Latest Developments from Reynolds High School,” oregonlive.com, June 11, 2014
- Philadelphia CBS, “Second Person Arrested in Connection with Charter School Shooting,” philadelphia.cbslocal.com, Jan. 20, 2014
- Jerica Phillips, “Teen Accidentally Shoots Himself in Leg at Middle School,” mwcactionnews5.com, Oct. 22, 2014
- Post-Tribune & Enterprise, “Deputies Make Two Arrests in Fort Calhoun Shooting,” enterprisepub.com, June 23, 2015
- Chris Pow, “1 Hurt in Stillman College Shooting, Student Charged with Attempted Murder (Updated),” blog.al.com, Apr. 17, 2013
- Tim Pratt, “Police: Local Teen Shot on St. John’s College Campus in Annapolis,” capitalgazette.com, Nov. 24, 2014
- Rapid City Journal Staff, “Police Identify Man Found Dead at School of Mines,” rapidcityjournal.com, Nov. 25, 2013
- Reuters, “Professor Shoots Himself in Foot during Class with a Handgun He Was Carrying in His Pocket… And now Faces Charges for Firing within the City Limits,” dailymail.co.uk, Sep. 4, 2014
- Michele Richinick, “School Shootings in North Carolina and Kentucky Leave Two Injured,” msnbc.com, Sep. 30, 2014
- Michelle Richinick, “Utah Teacher Shoots Herself in the Leg While at School,” msnbc.com, Sep. 12, 2014
- RTV6ABC, “Police: Man Killed Wife outside NW Indiana School,” theindychannel.com, Apr. 22, 2014
- Tony Santaella, “Coroner: Ex-Wife Killed USC Professor,” wltx.com, Feb. 6, 2015
- Tony Santaella, “Officials: USC Shooting Was Apparent Murder-Suicide,” wltx.com, Feb. 5, 2015
- Savannah Morning News, “3 Arrested after Shots Fired at Hardeeville Charter School,” savannahnow.com, Jan. 23, 2015
- Alexandra Seltzer and Ana M. Valdes, “Custodians’ Families Try to Cope as Police Search for Suspect in Dreyfoos Deaths,” palmbeachpost.com, June 20, 2013
- Alexandra Seltzer, “Police: We Are Close to Solving Dreyfoos Custodian Murders,” palmbeachpost.com, June 17, 2013
- Cindy Scharr and John Kopp, “Widener Football Player Shot Near Athletic Complex, Gunman Remains at Large,” delcotimes.com, Jan. 22, 2014
- Josh Shannon, “Three Charged in Connection to UD Shooting,” newarkpostonline.com, Aug. 23, 2013
- Megan Shaw and Bob Jones, “Kent State Identifies Cleveland Student Quavaugntay Tyler as Man Who Fired Shot at Bowman Hall,” newsnet5.com, Apr. 3, 2014
- Ann Sheridan, “Student Shot at N.C. High School,” usatoday.com, Sep. 30, 2014
- Laurie Simmons, “Documents Show Teen who Murdered 2 Warwick High Students Used 12-Gauge Shotgun,” wtkr.com, Aug. 16, 2014
- Southern Illinoisan, “Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Shooting at High School,” thesouthern.com, Feb, 18, 2015
- Staff Reporters, “Man Shot during Altercation on Langston University Campus,” newsok.com, Oct. 18, 2014
- Staff Reporters, “UPDATE: Arrest Made in Indiana State Shooting,” wthitv.com, Sep. 28, 2014
- Staff Reporters, “Waterville Man Commits Suicide outside Benton Elementary School,” centralmaine.com, Dec. 18, 2014
- Doug Stanglin, Michael Winter, and Neha Ramani, “Teaching Assistant Shot Dead at Purdue University,” usatoday.com, Jan. 23, 2014
- Alexis Stevens, “Suspect in Paine College Shooting from DeKalb,” ajc.com, May 6, 2014
- Eric Stevick, “Felon Arrested for Shot Fired at Everett Community College Is Former Student,” heraldnet.com, Apr. 7, 2015
- Ayana Stewart, “Battery, Attempted Murder Charges Filed in Shooting at UM Campus,” miamiherald.com, June 28, 2014
- Scott Stewart, “Shooting at Iowa Western Prompts Security Upgrades,” nonpareilonline.com, Apr. 29, 2014
- Rene Stutzman, “Middle School Suicide: Boy Found Dead on Campus Had Not Talked about Killing Himself,” orlandosentinel.com, Feb. 25, 2015
- Doris Taylor, “UPDATE: Man Arrested in Connection to Elizabeth City State University Shooting,” wtkr.com, Oct. 9, 2014
- Jennifer Thomas, “Student Shoots Self at Corona del Sol High School,” kpho.com, May 12, 2015
- THV11 Staff, “Suspect Arrested for Shooting at Pulaski Co. School Parking Lot,” thv11.com, Feb. 15, 2015
- Mike Tolson, “Suspect Charged in Lone Star College Shooting,” chron.com, Jan 23, 2013
- Ricardo Torres and Neal Morton, “Student Arrested after Gun Fires in Classroom; Parents Want Answers,” reviewjournal.com, Apr. 23, 2015
- James Turnage, “Tennessee State Shooting,” guardianlv.com, Oct. 13, 2014
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- University of Delaware, “Suspect Sought,” udel.edu, Aug. 23, 2013
- US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, “A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the United States between 2000 and 2013,” fbi.gov, 2014
- USA Today, “Student Wounded in Shooting at Tenn. School,” usatoday.com, Jan. 9, 2014
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- Tad Vezner, “Man Fatally Shoots Himself outside Roseville Private School, Police Say,” twincities.com, Jan. 27, 2015
- Mike Vielhaber, “Two Shot, One Dead in Parking Lot of Willow Elementary School in Cleveland,” newsnet5.com, May 5, 2015
- Karla Ward and Bill Estep, “Man Charged in Shooting That Kills 2, Injures 1 at Hazard Community and Technical College,” kentucky.com, Jan. 15, 2013
- Jim Warren, “Georgetown College Student Charged after Football Player Shot,” kentucky.com, May 8, 2014
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- WBBJ 7 Staff, “Accused Gunman in Lane College Shooting Appears in Court,” wbbjtv.com, Apr. 8, 2015
- WCNC, “4 Arrested for Johnson C. Smith University Shooting,” wcnc.com, Apr. 19, 2015
- WFTV, “2 Students Shot at Agape Christian Academy in Pine,” wftv.com, Oct. 4, 2013
- WFTV, “Officials: Student Charged in Shooting of Teen at West Orange High School,” wftv.com, Dec. 5, 2013
- WFTV.com, “Accused Killer: ‘I Ridded One Less Child Molester from the Earth,’” wftv.com, Apr. 14, 2015
- WFTV.com, “Surveillance Video Released in Bethune-Cookman Shooting That Injured 3,” wftv.com, Feb. 24, 2015
- Winston-Salem Journal, “Update: 18-Year-Old Charged in Shooting at Carver,” journalnow.com, Aug. 31, 2013
- WKRG Staff, “Victim Shot in Rear at Williamson High School,” wkrg.membercenter.worldnow.com, Jan. 30, 2015
- D.S. Woodfill, “Phoenix Police Make 4 Arrests in Chavez High School Shooting,” azcentral.com, Apr. 4, 2014
- WOWT NBC Omaha, “Third Arrest Made for Fort Calhoun Gunfire,” wowt.com, July 1, 2015
- WPXI.com, “Man Accidentally Shoots Self in CCBC Parking Lot,” wpxi.com, Apr. 2, 2015
- WRAL, “Student Shot Near Dorm at Elizabeth City State University,” wral.com, Apr. 14, 2013
- WSB-TV, “Police Make Arrest in Morehouse Shooting,” wsbtv.com, Feb. 1, 2013
- WSB-TV, “Suspect in Deadly Shooting at Fairburn School Turns Himself In,” wsbtv.com, Oct. 11, 2014
- WSBTV.com, “Teen Charged for Firing Shot inside Conyers Middle School,” wsbtv.com, May 5, 2015
- WSMV, “Police Investigating Possible Shots Fired at TSU Dorm,” wsmv.com, Oct. 27, 2014
- WSMV, “TSU Officials: No One Associated with University Involved in Shooting,” wsmv.com, Feb. 11, 2014
- WTOC Staff, “2 Men, Student Arrested after Shots Fired Reported near Hardeeville School,” wsmv.com, Feb. 22, 2015
Discussion Questions
- Should more gun control laws be enacted? If yes, by which level of government and which laws?
- Should more gun rights protections be put in place? If yes, by which level of government and which protections?
- How do you interpret the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution? Explain your answer.
Take Action
- Explore the pro positions of Everytown for Gun Safety.
- Consider state gun control laws at FindLaw.com.
- Analyze the con positions of the NRA-ILA (National Rifle Association – Institute for Legislative Action).
- Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.
- Push for the position and policies you support by writing U.S. senators and representatives.
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- Carol D. Leonnig and Tom Hamburger, "New York Attorney General Seeks to Dissolve NRA in Suit Accusing Gun Rights Group of Wide-Ranging Fraud and Self-Dealing," washingtonpost.com, Aug. 6, 2020
- Danny Hakim, "New York Attorney General Sues N.R.A. and Seeks Its Closure," nytimes.com, Aug. 6, 2020
- Josh Campbell, "FBI Firearm Background Checks Set All-Time Record in 2020," cnn.com, Nov. 2, 2020
- Clare Duffy, "NRA Files for Bankruptcy," cnn.com, Jan. 16, 2021
- FBI, "NICS Firearm Checks: Month/Year," fbi.gov (accessed Feb. 1, 2021)
- Adrienne Vogt, "Here’s How the DOJ Will Work to Reduce the Risk of Gun Violence, According to the U.S. Attorney General," cnn.com, Apr. 8, 2021
- Tim Mak, "Judge Dismisses NRA Bankruptcy Case, Heightening Risk for Dissolution of Group," npr.org, May 11, 2021
- Associated Press, "Mexico Sues U.S. Gun Manufacturers For Contributing To Arms Trafficking Deaths," npr.org, Aug. 5, 2021
- Dakin Andone, "13 States Have Backed the Mexican Government’s Lawsuit against a Group of U.S. Gun Manufacturers," cnn.com, Feb. 6, 2022
- Tierney Sneed and Ariane de Vogue, "Supreme Court Strikes Down New York Concealed Gun Law," cnn.com, June 23, 2022
- Amy Howe, "In 6–3 Ruling, Court Strikes Down New York’s Concealed-Carry Law," scotusblog.com, June 23, 2022
- Emily Cochrane and Zolan Kanno-Youngs, "Biden Signs Gun Bill Into Law, Ending Years of Stalemate," nytimes.com, June 25, 2022
- Don Clyde and Shauneen Miranda, "Biden Signs Gun Safety Bill into Law," npr.org, June 25, 2022
- CBS News, "Texas Judge Rules Gun-Buying Ban for People under Felony Indictment Is Unconstitutional," cbsnews.com, Sep. 19, 2022
- Jonathan Stempel, "U.S. Appeals Court Strikes Down Ban on Bump Stocks," reuters.com, Jan. 9, 2023
- White House, "Executive Order on Reducing Gun Violence and Making Our Communities Safer," whitehouse.gov, Mar. 14, 2023
- Seema Mehta and Courtney Subramanian, "Biden Consoles Monterey Park over Mass Shooting, Signs Order to Curb Gun Violence," latimes.com, Mar. 14, 2023
- Jeffrey M. Jones, "Majority in U.S. Continues to Favor Stricter Gun Laws," news.gallup.com, Oct. 31, 2023
- Michael R. Sisak, Lindsay Whitehurst, and Jake Bleiberg, "“NRA Chief, One of the Most Powerful Figures in U.S. Gun Policy, Says He’s Resigning Days Before Trial,” apnews.com, Jan. 5, 2024
- Jesse McKinley, Liset Cruz and Kate Christobek, "N.R.A. Stung by Corruption Verdict Tied to Millions of Misspent Dollars," nytimes.com, Feb. 23, 2024
- Abbie VanSickle, “Supreme Court Rejects Trump-Era Ban on Gun Bump Stocks,” nytimes.com, June 14, 2024
- Nina Totenberg, "Supreme Court Upholds Federal Ban on Guns for Domestic Abusers," npr.org, June 21, 2024
- Ellen Barry, "Surgeon General Declares Gun Violence a Public Health Crisis," nytimes.com, June 25, 2024
- Small Arms Survey, “Estimating Global Civilian-Held Firearms Numbers,” smallarmssurvey.org, June 2018.
- Small Arms Survey, “Firearms and Violent Deaths,” smallarmssurvey.org (accessed June 13, 2017)
- Small Arms Survey, “Global Violent Deaths,” smallarmssurvey.org, Feb. 22, 2020
- CDC, “WISQARS Fatal and Nonfatal Injury Reports,” cdc.gov (accessed July 10, 2023)