GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019
More than 1,000 Alabamans died by gun violence in 2019, an average of nearly three people every day. Suicides were 50% of the gun deaths and homicides were 45%.
TRENDS OVER TIME
The gun death rate in Alabama has substantially increased over the second half of the decade. The rate increased 31% from 2014-2019 and was primarily due to a staggering rise in firearm homicides during that time period — the firearm homicide rate increased 67% from 2014 to 2019. The change in the firearm suicide rate from year to year has been consistently and steadily increasing, with only a few exceptions.
Age-adjusted rate per 100,000
Total gun death rate
Firearm homicide rate
Firearm suicide rate
County Variations
Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000
- 12.02 to 18.72
- 18.73 to 25.43
- 25.44 to 32.14
- 32.15 to 39.00
- Suppressed /
Unreliable
[{"county":"Autauga","data":"16.89","test":16.89,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Baldwin","data":"14.11","test":14.11,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Barbour","data":"16.7","test":16.7,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Bibb","data":"19.26","test":19.26,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Blount","data":"18.56","test":18.56,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Bullock","data":"20.35","test":20.35,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Butler","data":"26.64","test":26.64,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Calhoun","data":"21.93","test":21.93,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Chambers","data":"23.41","test":23.41,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Cherokee","data":"20.27","test":20.27,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Chilton","data":"15.3","test":15.3,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Choctaw","data":"18.27","test":18.27,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Clarke","data":"16.18","test":16.18,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Clay","data":"18.1","test":18.1,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Cleburne","data":"22.52","test":22.52,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Coffee","data":"15.81","test":15.81,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Colbert","data":"18.41","test":18.41,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Conecuh","data":"22.95","test":22.95,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Coosa","data":"23.07","test":23.07,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Covington","data":"14.77","test":14.77,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Crenshaw","data":"19.95","test":19.95,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Cullman","data":"13.67","test":13.67,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Dale","data":"17.56","test":17.56,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Dallas","data":"36.82","test":36.82,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"DeKalb","data":"16.42","test":16.42,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Elmore","data":"18.63","test":18.63,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Escambia","data":"17.98","test":17.98,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Etowah","data":"16.86","test":16.86,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Fayette","data":"20.4","test":20.4,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Franklin","data":"19.79","test":19.79,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Geneva","data":"14.85","test":14.85,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Greene","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Hale","data":"17.76","test":17.76,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Henry","data":"16.85","test":16.85,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Houston","data":"15.85","test":15.85,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Jackson","data":"20.2","test":20.2,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Jefferson","data":"25.14","test":25.14,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Lamar","data":"14.42","test":14.42,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Lauderdale","data":"12.83","test":12.83,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Lawrence","data":"22.7","test":22.7,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Lee","data":"15.55","test":15.55,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Limestone","data":"14.82","test":14.82,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Lowndes","data":"34.76","test":34.76,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"Macon","data":"39","test":39,"label":"leg-3"},{"county":"Madison","data":"16.24","test":16.24,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Marengo","data":"17.83","test":17.83,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Marion","data":"16.89","test":16.89,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Marshall","data":"14.08","test":14.08,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Mobile","data":"22.81","test":22.81,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Monroe","data":"18.71","test":18.71,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Montgomery","data":"24.19","test":24.19,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Morgan","data":"18.04","test":18.04,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Perry","data":"Unreliable","test":0,"label":"leg-na"},{"county":"Pickens","data":"12.02","test":12.02,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Pike","data":"18.7","test":18.7,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Randolph","data":"24.9","test":24.9,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Russell","data":"24.31","test":24.31,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Shelby","data":"12.59","test":12.59,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"St. Clair","data":"16.99","test":16.99,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Sumter","data":"22.09","test":22.09,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Talladega","data":"20.94","test":20.94,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Tallapoosa","data":"18.5","test":18.5,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Tuscaloosa","data":"14.66","test":14.66,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Walker","data":"17.8","test":17.8,"label":"leg-0"},{"county":"Washington","data":"19.64","test":19.64,"label":"leg-1"},{"county":"Wilcox","data":"26.24","test":26.24,"label":"leg-2"},{"county":"Winston","data":"17.7","test":17.7,"label":"leg-0"}]
Among the counties in Alabama, Macon County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Dallas County and Lowndes County.
Conversely, Pickens County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Shelby County and Lauderdale County.
FIREARM HOMICIDES
486
firearm homicides in 2019, including
58
children and teens
4th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.
Gun Deaths by Intent
More than 2/5 of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.
Homicide by Method
The majority of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.
Demographics
In Alabama, young Black males are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 12 times higher than White males of the same age group.
Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).
FIREARM SUICIDES
543
firearm suicides in 2019, including
31
children and teens
13th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.
Gun Deaths by Intent
Half of all gun deaths were suicides in 2019.
Suicide by Method
More than 2/3 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.
Demographics
White males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.
Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).
Resources
Additional Information
Notes
- All rates listed are age-adjusted in order to allow for accurate comparisons between populations with different age distributions.
- All data is from 2019, the most recent year of data available, unless otherwise indicated.
- Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. WONDER Online Database, 1999-2019. Available: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.
Last updated February 2021
