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The Top 5 Weapons Used to Commit Murder in the United States
| Weapon | Murders 2007 | Murders 2011 | Percent Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Firearms | 10,129 | 8,583 | - 15.26% (decrease) |
| 2 | Knives or cutting instruments | 1,817 | 1,694 | - 6.76% (decrease) |
| 3 | Other weapon or weapon not stated |
1,005 | 853 | - 15.12% (decrease) |
| 4 | Personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.) |
869 | 728 | - 16.22% (decrease) |
| 5 | Blunt objects (clubs, hammers, etc.) |
647 | 496 | - 23.33% (decrease) |
Special Report
- In 2009, the estimated number of violent crime offenses in the United States was 1,318,398, a decrease of 5.3 percent over the 2008 estimate. All violent crime offense estimates decreased in 2009 when compared with the 2008 estimates. Robberies decreased 8.0 percent; murders decreased 7.3 percent; aggravated assaults decreased 4.2 percent; and forcible rapes decreased 2.6 percent. (a.)
- The murder rate in the United States in 2009 was 5.0 per 100,000 inhabitants, an 8.1 percent decrease when compared with the rate for 2008. When compared with 2008 rates, violent crime rates in 2009 declined in all offence categories. (a.)
- Nearly one-third of all women murdered in the United States in recent years were murdered by a current or former intimate partner. In 2000, 1,247 women, more than three a day, were killed by their intimate partners. (a.)
- More than 44 percent (44.8) of murders were reported in the South of the United States, the most populous region, with 21.3 percent reported in the Western U.S., 20.0 percent reported in the Midwest, and 13.9 percent reported in the Northeastern United States. (a.)
- In 2009, just ten states supplied nearly half (49%) of the guns that crossed state lines before being recovered in crimes. Together, these states accounted for nearly 21,000 interstate crime guns recovered in 2009. (a.)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation. (2009). Uniform Crime Report: "Crime in the United States" Retrieved October, 2010.
Tags:
The United States, Crime & Punishment Statistics, Weapons and Arms Statistics
Sources: United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. (September 2012). Crime in the United States, 2011. Retrieved (December 19th, 2012), from (http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-8)
List Notes: Data is for the year 2009. Pushed is included in personal weapons and "other weapon or weapon not stated" includes drowning. Firearms are generally classified into three broad types: (1) handguns, (2) rifles, and (3) shotguns.
Sources: United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. (September 2012). Crime in the United States, 2011. Retrieved (December 19th, 2012), from (http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-8)
List Notes: Data is for the year 2009. Pushed is included in personal weapons and "other weapon or weapon not stated" includes drowning. Firearms are generally classified into three broad types: (1) handguns, (2) rifles, and (3) shotguns.
