In 2023, 13,529 recorded murders in the United States were committed by firearm. This is a decrease from the previous year, when 12,244 homicides were committed with a firearm in the country. However, figures may not accurately reflect the total number of homicides, as not all law enforcement agencies in the U.S. submitted homicide data.

In 2023, there were ****** fatalities caused by injuries related to firearms in the United States, a slight decrease from the previous year. In 2021, there were ****** firearm deaths, the highest number of gun deaths ever recorded in the country. However, this figure has remained relatively high over the past 25 years, with ****** firearm deaths in 1990 and a slight dip in fatalities between 1999 and 2002. Firearms in the United States The right to own firearms in the United States is enshrined in the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and while this right may be seen as quintessentially American, the relationship between Americans and their firearms has become fraught in the last few years. The proliferation of mass shootings in the U.S. has brought the topic of gun control into the national spotlight, with support for banning assault-style weapons a particularly divisive issue among Americans. Gun control With a little less than **** of all Americans owning at least one firearm and the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world, it is easy to see how the idea of gun control is a political minefield in the U.S. However, public opinion has begun to shift over the past ten years, and a majority of Americans report that laws governing the sale of firearms should be stricter than they are now.

The graph shows the number of gun deaths per year in the United States from 1999 to 2023. The x-axis represents the years, while the y-axis displays the annual count of gun-related fatalities. The data ranges from a low of 28,663 gun deaths in 2000 to a high of 48,830 in 2021. From 1999 to 2014, the numbers remained relatively stable with slight fluctuations. However, gun deaths began increasing significantly after 2015, peaking in 2021 before a slight decline in 2022 and 2023. The graph highlights long-term trends in gun-related fatalities, emphasizing a notable rise in recent years.

In recent years, gun violence in the United States has become an alarmingly common occurrence. From 2016, there has been over ****** homicides by firearm in the U.S. each year and firearms have been found to make up the majority of murder weapons in the country by far, demonstrating increasing rates of gun violence occurring throughout the nation. As of 2025, Mississippi was the state with the highest gun violence rate per 100,000 residents in the United States, at **** percent, followed by Louisiana, at **** percent. In comparison, Massachusetts had a gun violence rate of *** percent, the lowest out of all the states. The importance of gun laws Gun laws in the United States vary from state to state, which has been found to affect the differing rates of gun violence throughout the country. Fewer people die by gun violence in states where gun safety laws have been passed, while gun violence rates remain high in states where gun usage is easily permitted and even encouraged. In addition, some states suffer from high rates of gun violence despite having strong gun safety laws due to gun trafficking, as traffickers can distribute firearms illegally past state lines. The right to bear arms Despite evidence from other countries demonstrating that strict gun control measures reduce rates of gun violence, the United States has remained reluctant to enact gun control laws. This can largely be attributed to the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which states that citizens have the right to bear arms. Consequently, gun control has become a highly partisan issue in the U.S., with ** percent of Democrats believing that it was more important to limit gun ownership while ** percent of Republicans felt that it was more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns.

In 2023, about 1,459 homicides were committed with the use of firearms in Texas. A further 1,334 homicides were committed with a firearm in California in that year. A ranking of the total number of murders by U.S. state can be found here.

Number and percentage of homicide victims, by type of firearm used to commit the homicide (total firearms; handgun; rifle or shotgun; other firearm-like weapons; firearm, type of firearm is unknown), Canada, 1974 to 2024.

In the United States in 2023, significantly more men than women died due to injuries involving firearms. In that year, ***** women died from injuries involving firearms across the country compared to ****** men.

Number of homicide victims, by method used to commit the homicide (total methods used; shooting; stabbing; beating; strangulation; fire (burns or suffocation); other methods used; methods used unknown), Canada, 1974 to 2024.

In 2023, ****** white people in the United States died due to injuries caused by firearms. A further ****** Black people died due to injuries caused by firearms across the country in that year.

In 2023, 76.37 percent of homicides were committed by firearm in the United States, compared to 85.7 percent in 2021. This figure has been increasing since 2014, when 63.6 percent of homicides were committed by firearm. Firearms in the United States Firearms in the United States have become a large part of American culture. The Second Amendment of the Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms. This amendment has been cited as a reason why gun control laws should not become stricter. However, many Americans are in favor of stricter gun control laws due to the increase of shootings in the country. Handguns were the most frequently used weapon used on murder victims in 2020, and overall, the United States was the country with the highest rate of civilian-owned firearms. Who owns firearms? Firearms are more popular in certain parts of the United States than others. Texas was the state with the highest number of registered weapons in 2021, with Florida, Virginia, California, and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five. Firearm laws vary from state to state, which means it is easier to obtain a firearm in some states than in others. Gun owners in the United States are typically white, and men are more likely to personally own a gun than women.

In 2024, ** people were killed in homicide cases involving firearms. ** people were killed in homicides in Norway that year, the second-highest during the period under consideration. The number of homicide cases in total and the number of cases involving firearms have remained relatively stable since 2014.

Data tables relating to offences involving weapons as recorded by police and hospital episode statistics.

List of every shooting incident that occurred in NYC during the current calendar year.

This is a breakdown of every shooting incident that occurred in NYC during the current calendar year. This data is manually extracted every quarter and reviewed by the Office of Management Analysis and Planning before being posted on the NYPD website. Each record represents a shooting incident in NYC and includes information about the event, the location and time of occurrence. In addition, information related to suspect and victim demographics is also included. This data can be used by the public to explore the nature of police enforcement activity. Please refer to the attached data footnotes for additional information about this dataset.

Handguns are by far the most common murder weapon used in the United States, accounting for 7,159 homicides in 2023. This is followed by firearms of an unstated type, with 5,295 cases in that year. Why do murders happen in the U.S.? While most of the time the circumstances of murders in the U.S. remain unknown, homicides due to narcotics come in as the second most common circumstance – making them more common than, for example, gang killings. Despite these gruesome facts, the violent crime rate has fallen significantly since 1990, and the United States is much safer than it was in the 1980s and 1990s. Knife crime vs disease: Leading causes of death The death rate in the U.S. had hovered around the same level since 1990 until there was a large increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic in recent years. Heart disease, cancer, and accidents were the three leading causes of death in the country in 2022. The rate of death from heart disease is significantly higher than the homicide rate in the United States, at 167.2 deaths per 100,000 population compared to a 5.7 homicides per 100,000. Given just 1,562 murders were caused by knife crime, it is fair to say that heart disease is a far bigger killer in the U.S.

The data on mass shootings is from https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/ . This dataset on mass shootings for the period 2014-2023 was provided on Feb 19, 2024 by the Data Manager (Ms. Sharon Williams) at the Gun Violence Archive (https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/) on a data request. Minimal curation was done on this data – the date variable was split into year, month and day. See the codebook for full details.A mass shooting is defined as four or more people injured or killed, because of firearms, excluding the shooter.The curated datasets are included here along with a research question and guiding questions.For information of how this data is collected, go to: https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/explainerDefinition for mass shooting and mass murder from the above website is given verbatim below:Mass Shooting Methodology and Reasoning: Mass Shootings are, for the most part an American phenomenon. While they are generally grouped together as one type of incident they are several different types including public shootings, bar/club incidents, family annihilations, drive-by, workplace and those which defy description but with the established foundation definition being that they have a minimum of four victims shot, either injured or killed, not including any shooter who may also have been killed or injured in the incident. GVA also presents the count of Mass Murder which, like the FBI's definition is four or more victims, killed, not including the shooter. Mass Murder by gun is a subset of the Mass Shooting count.

As of August 11, there were four mass shootings in the United States in 2025. This is compared to one mass shooting in 1982, one in 2000, and 12 mass shootings in 2022 and 2023. School shootings The United States sees the most school shootings in the world. Some motivations for school shootings included depression, seeking revenge, and bullying. As a result of the large amount of school shootings, gun control has become a central topic in U.S. politics. This widespread problem happens across the United States; however California saw the highest number of K-12 school shootings in the United States since 1970. However, the deadliest school shooting (as of October 2023) was the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007. This tragedy left 33 dead and 23 injured. Mass shooting issues Mass shootings happen when there are several injuries or deaths from a firearm-related violence. Throughout the last century, mass shootings have become an epidemic in the United States. However, despite the increase in mass shootings and number of casualties, the U.S. government has done little to prevent future shootings from happening. As a result of the lack of cooperation in politics, mass shootings have become an important issue for Generation Z living in the United States. Furthermore, having the right to bear arms is a popular belief in the U.S. and the percentage of households in the United States owning at least one firearm has remained somewhat steady since 1972.

As of August 11, 14 people were killed in mass shootings in the United States in 2025. A total of 1,173 victims were fatally injured during mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and August 11, 2025.

Number and rate (per 100,000 population) of homicide victims, Canada and Census Metropolitan Areas, 1981 to 2024.

Fixed Gunshot Detection System Market Outlook

The global fixed gunshot detection system market size was valued at USD 1.2 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach approximately USD 3.8 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.5% during the forecast period. The growth of this market is primarily driven by increasing concerns about public safety and the rising number of mass shooting incidents worldwide.

One of the most significant growth factors for the fixed gunshot detection system market is the increasing demand for public safety and security. With the rise in gun-related violence and mass shooting incidents, there is a pressing need for advanced surveillance systems that can promptly detect and respond to gunfire. These systems provide real-time data to law enforcement agencies, enabling quicker response times and potentially saving lives. Additionally, the integration of advanced technologies such as IoT, AI, and machine learning in these systems is enhancing their accuracy and reliability, further boosting their adoption.

Another factor driving the market is the substantial investments made by governments and private sectors in security infrastructure. Many governments around the world are allocating significant portions of their budgets to improve public safety measures, which includes the deployment of fixed gunshot detection systems in various public places such as schools, government buildings, and transportation hubs. Similarly, private sector entities, especially those in the commercial building sector, are increasingly adopting these systems to ensure the safety of their occupants and assets. The growing awareness about the benefits of such systems is also contributing to market growth.

The technological advancements in sensor technologies and the integration of these systems with smart city projects are also contributing significantly to market growth. Modern fixed gunshot detection systems are equipped with sophisticated sensors that can accurately detect the sound of gunfire and differentiate it from other noises. Moreover, the integration of these systems with existing public surveillance and communication networks in smart cities enhances their functionality and effectiveness. This trend is particularly prominent in developed regions, but developing regions are also catching up, driven by urbanization and modernization efforts.

In the realm of defense, the Acoustic Gunfire Locator for Defense is emerging as a pivotal technology. This system is designed to enhance the situational awareness of military personnel by providing real-time data on gunfire incidents. By accurately pinpointing the location of gunfire, these systems enable quicker and more strategic responses, thereby enhancing the safety and effectiveness of military operations. The integration of acoustic gunfire locators with existing defense infrastructure is proving to be a game-changer, offering a significant tactical advantage in combat scenarios. As defense budgets continue to rise, particularly in regions like North America and Asia Pacific, the adoption of such advanced technologies is expected to accelerate, driving further growth in the fixed gunshot detection system market.

Regionally, North America holds the largest market share due to the high prevalence of gun violence and advanced security infrastructure in the region. The US, in particular, has been a significant contributor to the market's growth, thanks to its high defense spending and the presence of major market players. Europe follows closely, driven by increasing terrorist activities and stringent regulations on public safety. The Asia Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period, driven by rapid urbanization, increasing government initiatives for public safety, and rising defense budgets.

Component Analysis

The fixed gunshot detection system market is segmented into hardware, software, and services. The hardware segment currently holds the largest market share and is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period. This segment includes various sensors, cameras, and communication devices that are integral to the functioning of gunshot detection systems. The increasing demand for advanced and reliable hardware components that can accurately detect and report gunfire incidents is a major driver for this segment. Additionally, continuous innovations and improvements in sensor technologie

In the first half of 2023, 15.082 people were murdered in Mexico. The most common cause of death was being shot with unspecified firearms or other weapons, type of aggression that claimed 10,615 victims. Over 1,500 died by unspecified mean, whereas other 1,365 people were killed due to the injuries inflicted with a cutting object.