statistics
Firearm Mortality by State, 2020. CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/sosmap/firearm_mortality/firearm.htm
Total :
Number of Firearm Deaths (US, 2020) : 45,222
- 54% from suicide
- 43% from homicide
There has been a gradual trend of increasing rates of gun death.
Unintentional Gun Fatalities:
Around 500 people die annually from unintentional gun incidents.
- 28.3% of cases is from playing with the gun
- 17.2% from believing the gun was not loaded and still using it
- 13.8% hunting injuries
These accidents are most often caused by improper storage of a gun, which allows for children or unauthorized individuals to access, not knowing how to tell if a gun is loaded, or negligence of proper safety techniques.
Recent Accidents
On October 21st, 2021, on the set of Rust, one person was killed and another injured due to a gun 'discharging'. Alec Baldwin, the person who had the gun at the time, was told the firearm was unloaded. However, it evidently was loaded with a live bullet, and the gun misfired.
One of the basic safety rules is always treating a gun as if it were loaded, no matter what. Had the rule been followed, this accident could have been prevented.
Accidents at Home
Since the pandemic and quarantine started, accidents involving children handling guns jumped by 31%. Millions of children live in households with guns. Children often cannot tell the difference between a real gun and a fake one, or are intrigued by what a gun is. Unintentional deaths from the child shooting a family member, a friend, or themselves happen almost daily. Knowing how to store a gun properly so that unauthorized individuals cannot access them is crucial.
