Firearm-related homicides have increased 31 percent in recent years, CDC says

Guns.
(Image credit: iStock)

The number of firearm-related homicides increased 31 percent between 2014 and 2016, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

While firearms have long been the top weapon used in homicides across the U.S., the number remained fairly stable between 2010 and 2014. But from 2014 to 2016, firearm-related homicides increased from 11,008 instances to 14,415. Guns were involved in eight times as many homicides as the next most frequent method, cutting and piercing.

Recent polls show that gun control is one of the most important issues that voters are considering as they decide who to support in the upcoming midterm elections. One in four people polled an NBC News survey said that guns were one of their top two concerns. See more data at the CDC.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.