America's Gun Problem [Infographic]

The proliferation and ubiquity of guns in the US is truly a sight to behold

FIREARMS DEATHS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE SUICIDES

Many people think about guns in the context of homicide, however in the US, an American is 54% more likely to die by firearm suicide than firearm homicide. Studies have repeatedly shown that gun ownership is strongly associated [1] with increased [2] rates of death [3] by suicide [4].

In the past 24 years, the odds ratio for death by firearm suicide compared to firearm homicide is 1.54 (95% Confidence Interval 1.53-1.55), p<0.000001.

FIREARM DEATHS ARE RISING

Whether its suicide (+32% in 20 years) or homicide (+51% in 20 years), the overall increase of deaths by firearm is undeniable. In the year 1999, there were 28,874 deaths by firearm, for a rate of 10.3 per 100,000. In 2022, there were 48,117 deaths by firearm (+67%) for a rate of 14.5 per 100,000 (+40%).

FIREARMS HAVE KILLED 716,574 AMERICANS IN THE PAST 20 YEARS

Without any further increase, if the rate were to hold at 2022 levels, with estimated population changes in the US this would mean in the next 20 years, 1,052,182 Americans will die by firearms.