A firearm injury is a gunshot wound or penetrating injury from a weapon that uses a powder charge to fire a projectile. Weapons that use a powder charge include handguns, rifles and shotguns. Injuries from air- and gas-powered guns, BB guns and pellet guns are not considered firearm injuries as these types of guns do not use a powder charge to fire a projectile.
Different types of firearm injuries
There are many types of firearm injuries, which can be fatal or nonfatal:
Intentionally self-inflicted
Includes firearm suicide or nonfatal self-harm injury from a firearm.
Unintentional
Includes fatal or nonfatal firearm injuries that happen while someone is cleaning or playing with a firearm or other incidents of accidental firing without evidence of intentional harm.
Interpersonal violence
Includes firearm homicide or nonfatal assault injury from a firearm.
Legal intervention
Includes firearm injuries inflicted by the police or other law enforcement agents acting in the line of duty.
For example, firearm injuries that occur while arresting or attempting to arrest someone, maintaining order or ensuring safety.
The term legal intervention is a commonly used external cause of injury classification. It does not indicate the legality of the circumstances surrounding the death.
Undetermined intent
Includes firearm injuries where there is not enough information to determine whether the injury was intentionally self-inflicted, unintentional, the result of legal intervention or from an act of interpersonal violence.
How common are firearm injuries?
Firearm injuries are a serious public health problem. In 2020, there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the United States – that’s about 124 people dying from a firearm-related injury each day. More than half of firearm-related deaths were suicides, and more than 4 out of every 10 were firearm homicides.
More people suffer nonfatal firearm-related injuries than die. More than seven out of every 10 medically treated firearm injuries are from firearm-related assaults. Nearly 2 out of every 10 are from unintentional firearm injuries. There are few intentionally self-inflicted firearm-related injuries seen in hospital emergency departments. Most people who use a firearm in a suicide attempt die from their injury.
Firearm injuries affect people in all stages of life. In 2020, firearm-related injuries were among the 5 leading causes of death for people ages 1-44 in the United States.
Some groups have higher rates of firearm injury than others. Men account for 86% of all victims of firearm death and 87% of nonfatal firearm injuries. Rates of firearm violence also vary by age and race/ethnicity. Firearm homicide rates are highest among teens and young adults 15-34 years of age and among Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native and Hispanic or Latino populations. Firearm suicide rates are highest among adults 75 years of age and older and among American Indian or Alaska Native and non-Hispanic white populations.
Consequences of firearm violence
People who survive a firearm-related injury may experience long-term consequences. These include problems with memory, thinking, emotions and physical disability from injury to the brain, paralysis from injury to the spinal cord and chronic mental health problems from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
The effects of firearm violence extend beyond victims and their families. Shooting incidents, including those in homes, schools, houses of worship, workplaces, shopping areas, on the street or at community events, can affect the sense of safety and security of entire communities and impact everyday decisions.
The economic impact of firearm violence is also substantial. Firearm violence costs the United States tens of billions of dollars each year in medical and lost productivity costs.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
