Firearm Deaths - Children

Firearm Deaths - Children in United States

United States

Gun violence is a serious public health issue. The United States is the only developed nation where firearms deaths are the leading cause of child mortality, and steadily increasing. In 2020, 4,357 children in the U.S. were killed by firearms. Except for Canada, firearm-related deaths were not among the top five leading causes of death in children in other developed countries. The most common cause of child firearm death — making up 65% of all cases in 2020, a 39% increase from 2019 — is violent assault, followed by suicide, which accounted for 30%. Only 5% of child firearm deaths in 2020 were unintentional.

The firearm death rate is higher among: 

• Children ages 15-19 compared with children ages 1-14.
• Black children compared with Asian children. Black children are also more likely to be exposed to firearm violence compared with white children. 
• Males compared with females. 

Children who live in gun-owning households where firearms are not securely locked and separated from ammunition, compared with children in households with firearms that are stored more safely.

Firearm deaths are preventable, and there is a lot that can be done at the individual, community and policy levels to reduce the firearm death rate.

It is safest not to keep any guns in the home at all, but there are other steps gun owners can take to improve household gun safety, like: 

• Making sure all guns inside the house are unloaded and locked away securely.
• Keeping all lock combinations, codes and storage keys appropriately hidden, especially from children.

Community- and state-level initiatives are key. Communities can offer resources and support to help resolve conflicts before they escalate to gun violence, and partner with public health and public safety agencies to examine local trends in gun violence and generate solutions. State-level policy recommendations include strengthening firearms legislation, particularly background check laws and firearm removal laws like Domestic Violence Protection Orders and Extreme Risk Protection Orders.

Improving access to mental health resources can help prevent suicide. Examples include medical interventions, support groups, effective clinical care for mental disorders and family and community support. In 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was launched to provide an easy-to-remember number and 24/7 confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources, by call, text or online chat. The previous National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (1-800-273-TALK(8255)) is also active and can still be used.

Healthy People 2030 has several violence prevention objectives related to firearms, including: 

• Reducing firearm-related deaths. 
• Reducing gun carrying among adolescents. 
• Reducing nonfatal physical assault injuries. 
• Reducing nonfatal firearm-related injuries.

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Niolon, Phyllis Holditch, Megan Kearns, Jenny Dills, Kirsten Rambo, Shalon Irving, Theresa L. Armstead, and Leah Gilbert. “Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices.” Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv-technicalpackages.pdf.

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