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90%

Extreme Risk laws can help prevent deaths by firearm suicide. Among commonly used methods of self-harm, firearms are by far the most lethal, with a fatality rate of approximately 90 percent.

Conner A., Azrael D., and Miller M., “Suicide Case-Fatality Rates in the United States, 2007 to 2014: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.” Annals of Internal Medicine. (2019). https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-1324

Only 4 percent of people who attempt suicide using other methods will die, and the vast majority of all those who survive do not go on to die by suicide.

More Stats

Did you know?

Every day, more than 120 people in the United States are killed with guns, twice as many are shot and wounded and countless others are impacted by acts of gun violence.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. WONDER Online Database, Underlying Cause of Death. A yearly average was developed using four years of the most recent available data: 2018 to 2021.

Last updated: 2.13.2023