The Top 5 U.S States with the Highest Rate of Gun Deaths

  U.S. State Gun Death Rate Household Gun Ownership
1 Louisiana 19.87 deaths per 100,000 45.6%
2 Mississippi 18.32 deaths per 100,000 54.3%
3 Alaska 17.62 deaths per 100,000 60.6%
4 Alabama 17.55 deaths per 100,000 57.2%
5 Nevada 16.21 deaths per 100,000 31.5%
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 Special Report
  1. During an average year in the United States: 31,224 people die from gun violence. More than 100,000 of them are shot in murders, assaults, suicides, accidents or by police intervention. 12,632 people are murdered with guns. 3,067 children and teens die from gun violence. 683 children and teens commit suicide with guns. 351 people are killed by police intervention. 17,352 people kill themselves. 679 are shot and injured during police interventions. 66,768 people survive gun injuries. 613 people are killed accidentally and 2,161 children and teens are murdered. (d.)
  2. On an average day in the United States: 8 children and teens die from gun violence. 268 people are shot in murders, assaults, suicides, accidents or by police intervention and 86 people die from gun violence, 35 of whom are murdered. (d.)
  3. Since 1979, 7,618,439 9mm pistols have been produced in the United States, making the 9mm the most popular pistol caliber produced in America during this period. (a.)
  4. During the six-month period covered in a report by The Violence Policy Center "Drive-By America"; 733 drive-by shooting incidents were reported in the United States, claiming 154 lives and injuring 631 individuals. California led the United States in the number of drive-by shootings from the six month period of July to September 2008 with 148 shootings, killing 40 and injuring 129. Following California were: Texas, with 60 drive-by shootings, killing six and injuring 52; Florida, with 48 drive-by shootings, killing 10 and injuring 42; Illinois, with 38 drive-by shootings, killing 18 and injuring 53; and, Washington, with 38 drive-by shootings, killing three and injuring 21. Nearly one out of five (18 percent) of those killed or injured were under the age of 18. Forty percent of all drive-by shootings occurred between the hours of 7:00 PM and midnight. A third (33 percent) were between midnight and 7:00 AM and seventeen percent of these incidents involved shooting at another vehicle. (d.)
  5. A study by the Violence Policy Center reports that shots were fired from assault weapons (other than police weapons) in three out of every four reported incidents involving police. (c.)
Top 5 facts sources:
  1. Violence Policy Center. (2011). "Backgrounder on Glock 19 Pistol and Ammunition Magazines". Retrieved Jan 25, 2011.
  2. Violence Policy Center. (2011). "Drive-by America". Retrieved Jan 25, 2011,
  3. Violence Policy Center. (2011). "Target: Law Enforcement-Assault Weapons in the News". Retrieved Jan 25, 2011,
  4. Grunwald, M. "The Tucson Tragedy: Fire Away" Time Magazine. Jan 24th, 2011. page: 25. Retrieved Jan 3, 2011.
Target: Law Enforcement—Assault Weapons in the News
Tags: Top 5 Highest, The United States, Crime & Punishment Statistics, Weapons and Arms Statistics

Sources:  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control., Violence Policy Center.

List Notes: Data is gun death rate in the United States for the year 2007.
U.S States with the Highest Rate of Gun Deaths

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