The Issue

44,000 AMERICANS DIE FROM GUN VIOLENCE EACH YEAR.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

Fighting gun violence is crucial for protecting our kids and communities. This uniquely American crisis touches every corner of the country.

We know solutions like background checks save lives. But we need leaders who will fight for them.

No more excuses. No more thoughts and prayers without action. No more delay. Together, we can save lives.

Americans are killed with a gun every day

On average, there are over 121 gun deaths each day and 44,000 each year. 58% are suicides, 40% are homicides, 1.3% are shootings by police, and 1.1% are unintentional.

Source

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER), “Underlying Cause of Death, 2018-2022, Single Race,” last accessed May 1, 2024, https://wonder.cdc.gov/.

393m

Guns in the United States

The US has more guns than people—393 million—and a higher rate of gun violence than any other high-income country.

Source

Aaron Karp, “Estimating Global Civilian–Held Firearms Numbers,” Small Arms Survey, June 2018, http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/T-Briefing-Papers/SAS-BP-Civilian-Firearms-Numbers.pdf.

The annual cost of gun violence in America

Researchers estimate that gun violence costs the American economy at least $557 billion every year, including $13.8 billion in direct expenses.

Source

Everytown Research & Policy, “The Economic Cost of Gun Violence,” Everytown for Gun Safety, July 19, 2022, https://everytownresearch.org/report/the-economic-cost-of-gun-violence/.

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SPOTLIGHT

GUN LAW SCORECARD

The data is clear: States with stronger gun laws have less gun violence. See how your state compares in our annual ranking.

COURAGEOUS VOICES

Students and activists. Faith leaders and business leaders. Parents and educators. Veterans and gun owners. The vast majority of Americans stand with us for safer laws.

Hear from some of them, in their own words, why they’re in this fight.

Stories

Voices from the Ground: The Stories of Three Violence Intervention Workers

Community violence intervention workers play a critical role reducing gun violence, putting themselves on the front lines of tense situations to make their communities a safer place. Here’s how three CVI workers at Chicago CRED describe their struggles, triumphs, and experiences on the job.

Stories

His Words Kept Me Hostage, But Now I’m Speaking Out

Christy, whose ex-husband shot their son and then himself, shares her story in the hopes of empowering others experiencing domestic violence. The voices of survivors are powerful, Christy writes, and help us move forward towards progress.

Gun Suicide

Three in five gun deaths are gun suicides, and the majority of suicides in America involve a firearm. Addressing gun access creates more second chances for people in crisis.

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Community Violence

In too many cities, underserved communities suffer from daily shootings. But proven community-based programs can save lives.

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KIDS & GUNS

Every child deserves to live free from violence. Our kids pay an enormous price for our nation’s weak gun laws. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children in America.

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POLICE SHOOTINGS

Police violence is gun violence—and it’s past time to address it. Nearly 1,100 civilians are shot and killed by police every year, many of them unarmed.

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Domestic Violence

Access to guns turns abusive situations deadly—women in the US are 21 times more likely to be killed with a gun than women in other high-income countries.

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mass shootings

Tragedies in schools, workplaces, and houses of worship terrorize Americans of all ages. Weak laws make it all too easy for shooters to obtain weapons of war.

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Guns & Democracy

The use of guns to intimidate and threaten voters, elected officials, and peaceful demonstrators poses a serious threat to our democracy.

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HATE CRIMES

Guns are often the tools of violent hate and extremism, facilitating attacks that sow terror throughout entire communities.

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THE GUN LOBBY

The gun lobby’s campaign of fear and division puts gun manufacturer profits over public safety. We have them on the defensive—and we’re not letting up.

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gun violence solutions

In 2022, President Biden signed into law the first federal gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. In the decade following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, states passed more than 620 significant gun safety laws. The fight against gun violence is an uphill battle, but it is winnable.

We know what solutions work to save lives—but enacting them at the state and federal levels will take all of our collective efforts. In a nation with more guns than people, it’s vitally important that we take steps to restrict firearm access among individuals legally prohibited from buying and owning guns. We also need to invest in underserved communities, continue to fund research into gun violence, and keep chipping away at the gun lobby’s influence in Washington DC.

Solutions that Save Lives

Universal background checks close dangerous loopholes in our federal gun laws that allow anyone to buy a gun in a private sale or at a gun show, no questions asked.
Extreme risk protection orders or “red flag” laws, enable a court to temporarily remove gun access from someone who poses a proven risk to themselves or others.
Firearm licensing is common sense: if you need a license to drive a car, you should need a license to own a gun.
Community violence intervention strategies invest in on-the-ground organizations that interrupt cycles of violence in underserved communities.
Child access prevention and safe storage laws protect kids at home by ensuring parents safely secure their guns to prevent underage access and unnecessary tragedy.
Strengthening domestic violence laws to prevent people with histories of violence and abuse from accessing firearms are vital to ensuring victims’ safety.
Funding research into gun violence is essential to understanding our gun violence epidemic and evaluating solutions from a public health standpoint.

Dangers to Public Safety

Ghost guns are DIY firearms that are unregulated and untraceable. That makes them a top choice for criminals—and an existential threat to existing gun laws.
Arming teachers puts students at tremendous risk. We should keep guns out of schools, not flood our schools with weapons.
Permitless carry laws loosen restrictions on who can carry deadly weapons in public, making it more likely that fistfights will turn into gun fights.
Stand Your Ground laws are racist and dangerous. Despite what the gun lobby wants you to think, they lead to more violence—not less.
Assault weapons and large-capacity magazines are specifically designed to kill as many people in as little time as possible, making mass shootings even more deadly.
The corporate gun lobby corrupts politicians into voting for laws that prioritize gun manufacturer profits over American lives. But after years of extremism, its influence is waning.

SPOTLIGHT

GUN VIOLENCE STATISTICS

Explore facts, figures, and original analysis compiled by our experts. To end our gun violence crisis, we need to better understand where, how, and why violence occurs.

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JOIN THE FIGHT

Over 40,000 Americans lose their lives to gun violence every year. In communities, courts, and ballot boxes nationwide, Giffords fights to save lives from gun violence. Will you join us?

44,000 AMERICANS DIE FROM GUN VIOLENCE EACH YEAR.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

Fighting gun violence is crucial for protecting our kids and communities. This uniquely American crisis touches every corner of the country.

We know solutions like background checks save lives. But we need leaders who will fight for them.

No more excuses. No more thoughts and prayers without action. No more delay. Together, we can save lives.

KEY STATS

Americans are killed with a gun every day

The annual cost of gun violence in America