Firearm Deaths - Children in Michigan

Michigan

Firearm violence is a public health problem in the United States. The U.S. is the only nation among its peers where firearm deaths are the leading cause of child mortality. Firearm-related deaths are not among the top five leading causes of death of children in any other peer country except for Canada, and the per capita firearm death rate for U.S. children is 9.5 times higher than Canada’s rate. Among children and adolescents in 2024, 68% of homicide deaths and 45% of suicide deaths involved firearms.

In addition to the direct physical harm caused by gun violence, exposure can negatively impact the health of children in other indirect ways, such as reduced physical activity from wanting to spend less time outside. Youth survivors of firearm injuries are at increased risk of mental health and substance use issues, in addition to chronic physical health conditions.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the rate of firearm deaths among children is higher among: 

• Children ages 15-19 compared with children ages 1-14.
• Black children compared with Asian, multiracial or white children. Research has found that Black children are also more likely to be exposed to firearm violence compared with white children.

Additional research found that firearm deaths are also higher among boys than girls and children living in states with higher levels of poverty.

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

• Make sure all firearms inside the house are unloaded and securely locked away.
• Keep all lock combinations, codes and storage keys appropriately hidden, especially from children.
• Never leave children unsupervised in a home with a gun.

The 2024 Surgeon General’s Advisory on firearm violence provides a detailed list of community risk reduction and prevention strategies. Research indicates that firearm legislation is associated with a decrease in homicide by firearm, particularly laws related to background checks and permit requirements. A recent study found an association between states with less restrictive gun laws and higher firearm deaths among children, affecting both suicide and homicides, though the rise is primarily concentrated in homicides. Public health and safety agencies can partner with local communities to examine local trends in gun violence and generate solutions. 

Improving access to mental health resources can help prevent suicide. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support for people in distress 24/7, everywhere in the U.S. 

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

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

Davis, Ari, Lisa Geller, Rose Kim, Silvia Villarreal, Alexander McCourt, Janel Cubbage, and Cassandra Crifasi. A Year in Review: 2020 Gun Deaths in the U.S. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, 2022. https://publichealth.jhu.edu/sites/default/files/2022-05/2020-gun-deaths-in-the-us-4-28-2022-b.pdf.

Faust, Jeremy Samuel, Ji Chen, Shriya Bhat, Onyekachi Otugo, Miranda Yaver, Benjamin Renton, Alexander Junxiang Chen, Zhenqiu Lin, and Harlan M. Krumholz. “Firearm Laws and Pediatric Mortality in the US.” JAMA Pediatrics 179, no. 8 (August 1, 2025): 896. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.1363.

Lee, Lois K., Eric W. Fleegler, Caitlin Farrell, Elorm Avakame, Saranya Srinivasan, David Hemenway, and Michael C. Monuteaux. “Firearm Laws and Firearm Homicides: A Systematic Review.” JAMA Internal Medicine 177, no. 1 (January 1, 2017): 106. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.7051.

Martin, Rachel, Sonali Rajan, Faizah Shareef, Kristal C. Xie, Kalice A. Allen, Marc Zimmerman, and Jonathan Jay. “Racial Disparities in Child Exposure to Firearm Violence Before and During COVID-19.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 63, no. 2 (August 2022): 204–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2022.02.007.

Office of the Surgeon General. Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK605169/.

Roberts, Bailey K., Colleen P. Nofi, Emma Cornell, Sandeep Kapoor, Laura Harrison, and Chethan Sathya. “Trends and Disparities in Firearm Deaths Among Children.” Pediatrics 152, no. 3 (September 1, 2023): e2023061296. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-061296.

Song, Zirui, José R. Zubizarreta, Mia Giuriato, Katherine A. Koh, and Chana A. Sacks. “Firearm Injuries In Children And Adolescents: Health And Economic Consequences Among Survivors And Family Members.” Health Affairs 42, no. 11 (November 1, 2023): 1541–50. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00587.