Youth Firearm Mortality rates Rise Sharply in Recent‍ Years

⁤ Updated May 27, 2025

The U.S. has seen a significant increase in⁢ firearm-related deaths ⁢among children and adolescents, with firearms now the leading cause of death for this ⁣age group as of 2020. Beyond fatalities, many more young people survive gunshot wounds or are exposed to gun violence, leading to negative behavioral health outcomes. ⁤For example, school shootings have been linked to increased suicide risk among youth.

School shootings have become more frequent, with exposure⁢ rates for‍ school-aged children⁣ rising from 19 per⁤ 100,000 between 1999 and 2004 to 51 per 100,000 from⁣ 2020 to 2024. This increase in youth suicide risk⁢ underscores the urgent need to address gun violence as a public health crisis.

Amidst this rise in youth firearm mortality, the Trump Management has revoked several gun safety‍ initiatives, citing the preservation of Second Amendment rights. These actions include dismantling the School Safety Committee, rescinding‍ an Executive Order to review firearm regulations, and removing the Surgeon General’s advisory that identified gun ⁣violence as a public health crisis. These policy shifts raise concerns about the future of⁢ gun violence ‍prevention efforts and access to mental health support for affected youth.

From 2019 to 2021, firearm death rates among children and adolescents increased by 46%, primarily due to gun assaults. ⁢While the firearm death rate has held steady at⁢ 3.5 per 100,000⁣ children and adolescents from 2021 to 2023, the ⁣increase ⁤during the pandemic disproportionately affected Black and‍ Latino youth, among whom gun assaults also account for the majority of firearm deaths. Nonfatal firearm injuries are two to four times more likely than fatal ones, and Black youth are more likely to be injured by or exposed to gun violence.

Exposure to ⁣gun violence can have severe adverse effects on the mental⁣ health and well-being of children and adolescents, including increased likelihood⁣ of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and poor academic performance. The rollback of gun safety policies and potential cuts to mental health support further⁣ exacerbate these challenges.

Since the pandemic began, firearm-related deaths among children and adolescents have increased, with seven children per ⁢day dying by firearm in 2023.From 2013 to 2023, nearly 21,000 children ages 17 and younger died by firearm. The firearm death rate among ⁢children⁣ and adolescents increased⁣ by 46% (from ‍2.4 to 3.5 per 100,000) from 2019 to 2023. This translates to seven children per day dying ⁤by firearm in 2023.

Recent increases in firearm deaths were driven⁣ by⁢ gun assaults, which accounted for nearly two out of three firearm deaths among children and adolescents in 2023. Gun assault deaths among children and adolescents have increased over the past decade, resulting in 1,622 deaths ⁤in ⁢2023. From 2019 ⁢to 2023,the share of ⁤these firearm deaths attributed ‍to gun assaults grew ⁢from 54% to 63%.

Among child and adolescent ⁢firearm deaths in 2023, 29% were suicides and 5% were accidental. Suicides by firearm have increased over the past⁢ decade among children and ⁤adolescents,‍ peaking in 2021 with 827 deaths. In‍ 2023, firearms were involved in 47% of⁢ total suicide deaths among children and adolescents.

Firearm death rates have⁢ sharply increased among black and Hispanic children and adolescents since the pandemic began. In 2023, the rate of firearm deaths among Black youth was 11.7 per 100,000 – substantially higher than any other ⁤racial⁤ and ethnic group and over four times higher than White youth. Additionally, from 2018 to 2023, the rate of firearm deaths nearly doubled among Black youth⁢ and increased by 73% among‍ Hispanic youth. White youth experienced relatively stable ‍and lower firearm mortality rates from 2018 to 2023, while Asian youth‍ had the lowest firearm mortality rates across the period.

The recent increases in firearm deaths among Black and Hispanic children and adolescents were primarily driven ⁤by ‍gun assaults. The gun assault⁣ death rate among Black youth grew from 4.9 to 10.3⁣ per 100,000 between 2018 and 2022, dropping slightly‍ to 9.7 in 2023. Among White ⁢youth, it remained steady and below 1.0 per 100,000. In 2023, Black youth accounted for ⁣46% of all youth firearm deaths although they made up ‍only 14% of the U.S. youth ⁤population.

Firearm death rates for male children and⁣ adolescents are over four times higher than ‍their female peers. From 2018 to 2023, the rate⁣ of ⁤deaths due to firearms increased by 53% among male children and adolescents but⁣ remained lower and stable among females.

Among firearm deaths, suicides by firearm are more common‍ among ⁢adolescents compared to younger children, while accidental gun deaths ⁣are more common among younger children than adolescents. Gun assaults accounted for roughly two-thirds of firearm deaths among both adolescents and younger children in 2023.⁣ The second most common type of firearm death among adolescents was firearm suicides (32%), and among younger children was accidental gun deaths (21%).

Firearm death rates among children and adolescents vary considerably by state; however, almost all states have seen growth in ⁢these death rates in pandemic years. From 2020 to 2023 the states with the highest firearm death rates among children and adolescents were the District of Columbia, Mississippi, and Louisiana (10.3, 9.0, and 8.8 per 100,000 respectively for combined⁤ years, 2020-2023. The states with the lowest firearm death rates were Massachusetts,New Jersey,and New York (0.7, 0.9, and 1.1 per 100,000 respectively for combined years, 2020-2023). Almost all states ‍experienced an increase in firearm death rates from pre-pandemic to pandemic years, with the largest changes seen in nebraska, Connecticut, and north Carolina (125%, 100%, and 100%⁤ respectively).

The number of nonfatal firearm injuries far exceeds the number of firearm fatalities among children and adolescents. research suggests nonfatal firearm injuries occur anywhere from two to four times more often than firearm fatalities. Recent data also indicate ⁤that since the pandemic began, nonfatal firearm injuries among children and adolescents have increased. The majority ⁢of youth nonfatal firearm injuries are a result of ⁣assaults.

Many children and adolescents are⁣ exposed to gun violence, even if they are not ⁣directly injured. A recent analysis found that 51 per 100,000 U.S. school-age children were exposed to a school shooting from 2020-2024.‍ Additionally, a CDC analysis found that in 34% of unintentional child and adolescent ⁤firearm deaths, at least one other child was present ⁢during the incident.Prior data found that 8% of children and adolescents were exposed to a shooting in their⁢ lifetime, with⁢ a higher share‍ (13%) reported among adolescents (ages 14-17). further, in a recent poll 17%⁣ of adults in the U.S. reported witnessing someone being injured by a gun.

Black⁣ children and adolescents⁢ are⁢ more likely to experience firearm injuries and exposures than ⁣their White peers. Leading up to ⁣the pandemic, Black and male children and adolescents were more likely to experience nonfatal firearm injuries than their⁤ peers.

What’s next

Further research and policy interventions are needed to address the complex factors contributing to firearm violence among youth. These efforts should focus on promoting mental health, reducing access to firearms for those at risk, and⁤ addressing⁢ the social and economic disparities that contribute to violence in communities.

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