Firearm Homicide

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

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What is the connection between firearms and homicide?

Nationally, firearms account for nearly 4 in 10 firearm deaths (38.9%), and in California, 45% of all firearm deaths. In general, firearm homicides are broken into two major forms: in the home, many attributed to intimate partner violence (IPV), and those that occur outside the home, sometimes referred to as ‘community violence’ or ‘retaliatory violence.’ In 2023, 79% of all homicides were by firearm in the U.S.

How does firearm homicide intersect with other forms of firearm violence?

IPV: Research estimates that at least 9.5–15.6% of all homicides in the U.S. have IPV as a contributing factor. Among IPV-related firearm deaths, 2 in 3 involved a firearm.

Mass Shootings: While much attention has been devoted to coverage and causes of mass shootings due to their sudden and devastating impact, they account for only 1% of all firearm homicides in the U.S.

Suicide: Murder-suicides are a common form of firearm violence in the United States, with an estimated 10 such incidents each week. It is also estimated that approximately 90% of these deaths involve a firearm.

Which communities are most vulnerable?

Black and Brown communities and Women are at the greatest threat of firearm homicide.

Black and Latino communities are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicides, accounting for 3 in 4 of all U.S. firearm homicide victims
Access to a firearm makes it 5 times more likely that an abusive partner will kill his female victim
Compared to white women, Black women are 4 times more likely to be fatally shot by an intimate partner
Approximately 1 in 5 of Latina female IPV-related homicide victims of childbearing age with known pregnancy status were pregnant or ≤1 year postpartum. A firearm was used in the majority of Latina IPV-related homicides

Is Firearm homicide just an urban problem?

No, far from it. Although there are persistent firearm homicide problems in large urban areas of the U.S., many smaller communities, including rural and suburban cities, frequently have higher rates of firearm homicides. An analysis of 9 years of data (2014-2022) by Hope and Heal Fund and RomoGIS analyzed the locations of firearm homicides in California. Their research revealed that roughly 2/3 of these homicides occur outside of the state’s 10 most populous cities. This indicates that focusing solely on major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Francisco would only address 1/3 of California’s firearm homicide issue. To significantly reduce firearm homicides, resources must also be allocated to impacted smaller cities, suburban areas, and rural communities. This dynamic is also likely representative of many other states.

What has been done to address firearm homicide?

Over the last two decades, there have been more innovative approaches to preventing firearm homicides in the United States. Hope and Heal Fund developed a toolkit to assist in aligning their missions and work with firearm violence prevention efforts. Effective approaches include:

Community Violence Intervention (CVI): CVI reduces violence by targeting high-risk individuals. It’s a mitigation strategy that interrupts violence cycles and promotes safety through interventions and support, led by credible messengers with lived experience. This includes hospital and community-based efforts.
Trauma-informed healing: Communities that experience high rates of violence continue to be plagued with persistently high rates of trauma. Trauma and its associated symptoms of mental and psychological illness are more prevalent in the U.S. than in most other countries in the world. Trauma-informed care has become a standard practice in mental health care services and education in many communities. It is also critical to ensure that healing is culturally sensitive and speaks to diverse communities.

What more can be done to address firearm homicide?

Decrease easy access to firearms: Track local gun trafficking patterns and work with municipalities to cut off the illegal supply and educate on the importance of safe firearm storage in the home
Expand Local Organizational Capacity: Provide capacity-building grants to community-based organizations
Prevention: Offer leadership opportunities and cultural healing to youth in impacted communities
Economic Development: Provide more parks, green spaces, tree canopies, and job opportunities
Train Local Partners on GIS Mapping: Hope and Heal Fund and RomoGIS are training community members to access and map local data to focus efforts on the most impacted areas

What are the data gaps, and what can be done to address these gaps?

The Underestimated Scope of IPV-Related Firearm Homicides: IPV-related firearm homicides are significantly undercounted in California and likely nationwide. While the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) is considered the most reliable data source for firearm-related deaths, it depends on local counties to identify IPV-related firearm homicides. In California, for example, counties report few, if any, such homicides.
Data Lag and Identifying Hot Spots: While the Centers for Disease Control’s firearm homicide data is accurate, it suffers from a considerable lag time and lacks the granular detail needed to identify specific “hot spots” in cities—information crucial for local leaders to address the problem.
Addressing the Gaps:
- IPV: Hope and Heal Fund is pushing for more accurate data on IPV firearm homicides. This improved data will enable community leaders and policymakers to better grasp the severity of the issue and concentrate efforts on communities with higher rates of IPV firearm homicides.
- Data Lag and Hot Spots: Hope and Heal Fund, in collaboration with RomoGIS, will continue to update statewide GIS maps and train local partners to obtain timely data for their communities.