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FACT: In 2006, there were 1,036 gun deaths in the state of Illinois, a 1.6% increase from 2005 Illinois gun deaths 1019. The 2006 Illinois gun deaths included 625 homicides (60% of all IL gun deaths), 372 suicides (36% of all IL gun deaths), and 24 unintentional shootings, 4 legal intervention, and 11 of undetermined intent (4% represents for all IL gun deaths).
(Numbers obtained from CDC National Center for Health Statistics mortality report online, 2009.)
FACT: In 2006, there were 30,896 gun deaths in the U.S: 12,791 homicides (41% of total deaths), 16,883 suicides (55% of total deaths), 642 unintentional shootings (2% of total deaths), 360 from legal intervention (1.2% of total deaths) and 220 from undetermined intent (.8% of total deaths).
(Numbers obtained from CDC National Center for Health Statistics mortality report online, 2009.)
FACT: In 2006, incidents of gun murders, gun suicides, and unintentional shootings in Illinois killed 154 children and adolescents ages 19 and younger, a 18% increase from the 2005 total of 130 in this age group. Nationwide for 2006, gun violence killed 3,218 American children and teens ages 19 and under, an increase of 6.3% from the nationwide 2005 total of 3,027 this means that in the U.S. an average of 9 young people are killed each day by guns.
(Numbers obtained from CDC National Center for Health Statistics mortality report online, 2009.)
FACT: Suicide is still the leading cause of firearm death in the U.S., representing 54.6% of total 2006 gun deaths nationwide. In 2006, the U.S. firearm suicide total was 16,883, a decrease from 2005 total of 17,002 gun suicides. Total gun suicides in Illinois for 2006 were 372, a decrease of 12% from the 2005 number 424. Over half of suicides in the U.S. are committed with firearms.
(Numbers obtained from CDC National Center for Health Statistics mortality report online, 2009; and the American Association of Suicidology.)
FACT: While handguns account for only one-third of all firearms owned in the United States, they account for more than two-thirds of all firearm-related deaths each year. A gun in the home is 4 times more likely to be involved in an unintentional shooting, 7 times more likely to be used to commit a criminal assault or homicide, and 11 times more likely to be used to attempt or commit suicide than to be used in self-defense.
(A Kellerman, et al. Journal of Trauma, August 1998; Kellerman AL, Lee RK, Mercy JA, et al. “The Epidemiological Basis for the Prevention of Firearm Injuries.” Annu.Rev Public Health. 1991; 12:17-40.)
FACT: A gun in the home increases the risk of homicide of a household member by 3 times and the risk of suicide by 5 times compared to homes where no gun is present.
(Kellerman AL, Rivara FP, Somes G, et al. “Suicide in the Home in Relation to Gun Ownership.” NEJM. 1992; 327(7):467-472)
FACT: Despite popular belief, young children do possess the physical strength to fire a gun: 25% of 3-to-4-year-olds, 70% of 5-to-6-year-olds, and 90% of 7-to-8-year-olds can fire most handguns.
(Naureckas, SM, Christoffel, KK, et al. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 1995.)
FACT: 48% of gun-owning households with children do NOT regularly make sure that guns are equipped with child safety locks or other trigger locks.
(Peter Hart Research Associates poll, 1999.)
FACT: 59% of students in grades six through twelve know where to get a gun if they want one, and two thirds of these students say they can acquire a firearm within 24 hours.
(Harvard School of Public Health.)
FACT: Suicide is still the leading cause of firearm death in the U.S., representing 55% of total 2005 gun deaths nationwide. In 2005, the U.S. firearm suicide total was 17,002, a 1.5% INCREASE from 2004 suicide deaths. The state of Illinois saw a nearly 10% INCREASE in gun suicides from 387 in 2004 to 424 in 2005. Most suicides in the U.S. are committed with firearms.
-Numbers obtained from CDC National Center for Health Statistics mortality report online, 2008.
FACT: While handguns account for only one-third of all firearms owned in the United States, they account for more than two-thirds of all firearm-related deaths each year. A gun in the home is 4 times more likely to be involved in an unintentional shooting, 7 times more likely to be used to commit a criminal assault or homicide, and 11 times more likely to be used to attempt or commit suicide than to be used in self-defense.
-A Kellerman, et al. Journal of Trauma, August 1998; Kellerman AL, Lee RK, Mercy JA, et al. “The Epidemiological Basis for the Prevention of Firearm Injuries.” Annu.Rev Public Health. 1991; 12:17-40.
FACT: A gun in the home increases the risk of homicide of a household member by 3 times and the risk of suicide by 5 times compared to homes where no gun is present.
-Kellerman AL, Rivara FP, Somes G, et al. “Suicide in the Home in Relation to Gun Ownership.” NEJM. 1992; 327(7):467-472)
FACT: Contrary to popular belief, young children do possess the physical strength to fire a gun: 25% of 3-to-4-year-olds, 70% of 5-to-6-year-olds, and 90% of 7-to-8-year-olds can fire most handguns.
-Naureckas, SM, Christoffel, KK, et al. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 1995
FACT: Comparison of U.S. gun homicides to other industrialized countries:
In 2004 (the most recent year for which this data has been compiled), handguns murdered:
* 5 people in New Zealand
* 37 people in Sweden
* 56 people in Australia
* 184 people in Canada
* 19 people in Japan
* 73 people in the UK
* 11,344 people in the United States
- Provided by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
FACT: Among 26 industrialized nations, 86% of gun deaths among children under age 15 occurred in the United States.
- Provided by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
FACT: Taxpayers pay more than 85% of the medical cost for treatment of firearm-related injuries.
- Martin M, et al. “The Cost of Hospitalization for Firearm Injuries.” JAMA. Vol 260, November 25, 1998, pp 3048, and Ordog et al. “Hospital Costs of Firearm Injuries.” Abstract. Journal of Trauma. February 1995, p1)
FACT: While handguns account for only one-third of all firearms owned in the United States, they account for more than two-thirds of all firearm-related deaths each year. A gun kept in the home is 22 times more likely to be used in a homicide, suicide or unintentional shooting than to be used in self-defense.
- Kellerman AL, Lee RK, Mercy JA, et al. “The Epidemiological Basis for the Prevention of Firearm Injuries.” Annu. Rev. Public Health. 1991; 12:17-40
FACT: During the 10-year period 1994 through 2003, 616 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in the line of duty. Of those, 30.4 percent of the officers died while making arrests, 16.4 percent died during traffic pursuits or stops, and 16.2 percent were killed in ambush situations. Also during that decade, 15.9 percent of the Nation’s slain law enforcement officers were killed while answering disturbance calls, and 15.6 percent died while investigating suspicious persons or circumstances.
- U.S. Department of Justice
FACT: From 1977 to 1996, the U.S. firearm industry produced 85,644,715 firearms, 39,024,786 handguns, 26,651,062 rifles and 19,969,867 shotguns in the United States.
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
FACT: As of 1994, 44 million Americans owned more than 192 million firearms, 65 million of which were handguns. Although there were enough guns to have provided every U.S. adult with one, only 25% of adults owned firearms. Seventy-four percent (74%) of gun owners possessed two or more firearms.
- National Institute of Justice, May 1997
FACT: Every two years more Americans die from firearm injuries than the total number of American soldiers killed during the 8-year Vietnam War. In 2003, the total number of people killed by guns in the United States was 30,136.
- Based on data from CDC National Center for Health Statistics WISQARS online data collection system, 2006.
SPECIAL REPORT: Results from Report Published in the New Scientist
The July 2003 issue of New Scientist magazine contains a report about life-saving technologies for guns that should be implemented as standards for the gun industry. Click here to view the online report. In addition to pushing for existing technologies to be incorporated into gun industry processes, the report also cited new data on the risks of guns. Here are some facts from the report:
* People who keep guns at home have a 72% greater chance of being killed by firearms and are 3.44 times more likely to commit suicide than those who do not keep guns at home (Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol 41, p. 771).
* A recent survey of 236 types of pistols made in the U.S. found that:
o only 13% had a loaded chamber indicator
o only 20% had a grip safety to make it harder for children to use the gun
o only 21% had a magazine safety, which prevents the gun from firing when the magazine has been removed, even if there is already a round in the chamber of the gun
(Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol 41, p 1)
* A recent Emory University study shows that 32% of unintended shootings in the U.S. are caused by deficiencies in gun design. (Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol 41, p 10)
Teens Say It’s Easy To Get Guns
A nationwide survey about teenagers attitudes toward guns, conducted in 2003, found that:
* 39% Number of teens who said they know someone who has been shot
* 37% of teenagers could get a handgun “if I really wanted to”
* 27% know of a handgun kept in their house, apartment or car
* 59% do not believe that “video games can make teenagers violent”
* 56% do not want armed security guards patrolling their schools
* 90% do not believe that teachers and principals should be able to “bring handguns to school to protect students”
Source: Teenage Research Unlimited, June 2003.
Data from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention show that:
* Everyday in the United States, 8 young Americans ages 19 and under are killed in gun homicides, suicides, and unintentional shootings.
* For every child killed by a gun, four more are wounded.
Survey of Hunters Shows Support for Some Gun Violence Prevention Issues
In the spring of 2002, Field & Stream magazine took an informal web survey of 2,897 F&S readers about the state of hunting in America. The results from this informal survey were published in F&S in the spring of 2003. Below are responses to a few questions relative to gun violence prevention issues. Questions are numbered as they were in the survey.
15. Do you consider assault-style rifles to be legitimate sporting guns?
67% NO
33% YES
28. Do you think people who want to purchase rifles and shotguns should be given background checks before they are allowed to buy the guns?
66% YES
34% NO
29. Do you belong to the National Rifle Association?
57% NO
43% YES
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