>5m

Background checks have blocked more than 5 million sales to people prohibited by law from having guns.

Everytown Research analysis of Connor Brooks, “Background Checks for Firearm Transfers, 2019–2020,” US Bureau of Justice Statistics, November 2023, https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/bcft1920.pdf, and data obtained by FBI FOIA requests, 2021–2023. Though the majority of the transactions and denials reported by the FBI and BJS are associated with a firearm sale or transfer, a small number may be for concealed-carry permits and other reasons not related to a sale or transfer.

Last updated: 4.23.2025

More Stats

7 in 10

Nearly 7 in 10 Americans support funding community-based gun violence prevention programs that provide outreach, conflict mediation, and social support for people at high-risk of gun violence.

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<$3,400

Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEP) are cost-effective: The average cost of an SYEP is fewer than $3,400 per participant, compared to more than $15.6 million for the average cost of a gun homicide.

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<$10,800

Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIP) are cost-effective: The average cost of an HVIP is fewer than $10,800 per participant, compared to more than $37,000 for the average medical cost of a nonfatal firearm assault injury.

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>4 in 10

More than four in 10 gun deaths in cities are suicides.

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