1,147
gun deaths in Arizona, including
70
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
26%
Homicides comprised 1/4 of gun deaths
70%
Suicides comprised the majority of gun deaths
87%
of gun death victims were male
19th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

More than 1,100 Arizonans died by gun violence in 2018, an average of three people every day. Suicides were 70% of the gun deaths and homicides were 26%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in Arizona increased nearly 14%. Increases in both homicide and suicide rates contributed to the overall change over the course of the decade; in that time period, the firearm homicide rate increased 15% and the firearm suicide rate increased 10%.

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

  • 7.34 to 12.94
  • 12.95 to 18.55
  • 18.56 to 24.16
  • 24.17 to 29.56
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Arizona, La Paz County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Mohave County and Yavapai County.

Conversely, Santa Cruz County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Yuma County and Maricopa County.

Notes:

  • The CDC suppresses data in which fewer than 10 deaths are reported in a given time frame and considers firearm death rates based on fewer than 20 deaths “statistically unreliable.” Counties that meet this criteria are labeled “Suppressed/Unreliable.”
  • Based on a ten-year average (2009-2018).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

293
firearm homicides in 2018, including
28
children and teens
25th
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

1/4 of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

Nearly 70% of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In Arizona, 82% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 8 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

FIREARM SUICIDES

802
firearm suicides in 2018, including
35
children and teens
17th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 70% of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

More than half of all suicides were by firearm in 2018.

Demographics

American Indian/Alaska Native males and White (non Latino) males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2014-2018).

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 2018, 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, 1999-2018. Available: http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html.

Last updated September 2020