In this article, we are sharing statistics regarding suicides involving guns, but it is always important to remember that these statistics represent real human beings who deserved to live. We take action to honor them and prevent potential suicides in the future.

In the United States

  • Ninety percent of suicide attempts using a gun are fatal, making the use of a gun a uniquely lethal method.1
  • Every day, 63 Americans die by suicide using a gun.2
  • Veterans die by suicide at an especially high rate. In 2020, an average of approximately 17 veterans died by suicide each day. A gun was used in 71% of those suicides.3
  • Rural areas experience disproportionate rates of gun suicide.4 Among male farmers, the suicide rate is 58% higher than the national suicide rate for all males.5

In Wisconsin

  • Roughly 65% of gun deaths in Wisconsin are due to suicide.6
  • 530 Wisconsinites died by gun suicide in 2022.7
  • In 2021, the veteran suicide rate in Wisconsin was nearly 52% higher than the suicide rate of all adults.8
  • The gun suicide rate in Wisconsin has increased by nearly 80% since 2004.9

Means Matter

  • Suicide attempts with a gun are at least 40 times as likely to result in death as attempts made by ingesting drugs or poison or by cutting.10
  • 90% of people who survive their first suicidal act do not die by suicide later. 70% never attempt suicide again.11
  • Removing the most lethal means of suicide makes it more likely a person will survive a potential suicide attempt, which means temporary gun removal can save lives.12
  • Having a gun accessible at home increases the risk that an individual will die by suicide by 300%.13

Solutions

Because suicidal acts are often impulsive and fleeting, preventing access to guns is crucial. Learn more about extreme risk laws, a policy that effectively reduces gun violence in places where it is implemented. Safe storage is another important practice for those who do have guns in their homes. Safe storage means keeping guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition.

Need Help?

If you or a loved one need help, there are so many resources available. You are not alone, and the world needs you.

1Conner A, Azrael D, Miller M. Suicide Case-Fatality Rates in the United States, 2007 to 2014: A Nationwide Population-Based Study. Ann Intern Med. December 2019:885-895.
2Everytown For Gun Safety. “Firearm Suicide in the United States.” Everytown Research, Feb. 2020.
3“2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Sep. 2022.
4Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. WONDER Online Database, Underlying Cause of Death.
5Peterson, Cora, et al. “Suicide Rates by Industry and Occupation — National Violent Death Reporting System, 32 States, 2016.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 Jan. 2020.
6CDC, Underlying Cause of Death, Four-Year Average: 2018-2021.
7“Suicide Data and Statistics.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Aug. 2023, www.cdc.gov/suicide/suicide-data-statistics.html.
8“Wisconsin Veteran Suicide Data Sheet, 2021.” U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Oct. 2023.
9“Fatal Injury and Violence Data.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Aug. 2023, www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal/index.html.
10Conner, Andrew, et al. “Suicide Case-Fatality Rates in the United States, 2007 to 2014: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.” Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 171, no. 12, Dec. 2019, p. 885. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.7326/M19-1324.
11Owens D, Horrocks J, and House A. Fatal and non-fatal repetition of self-harm: systematic review. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2002;181:193-199.
12“Gun Suicide across the States.” Brady, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 2019, www.bradyunited.org/fact-sheets/gun-suicide-across-the-states.
13Ibid.