2,945
gun deaths in California, including
235
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
42%
Homicides comprised 2 in every 5 gun deaths
54%
Suicides comprised more than half of all gun deaths
88%
of gun death victims were male
7th
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

Nearly 3,000 Californians died by gun violence in 2019, an average of eight people every day. Suicides were 54% of the gun deaths and homicides were 42%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2010-2019), the overall gun death rate in California decreased nearly 6%. Decreases 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 decreased nearly 9% and the firearm suicide rate decreased 5%.

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

  • 4.13 to 11.33
  • 11.34 to 18.54
  • 18.55 to 25.75
  • 25.76 to 33.05
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in California, Trinity County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Modoc County and Lake County.

Conversely, Santa Clara County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by San Mateo County and Orange 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 (2010-2019).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

1,246
firearm homicides in 2019, including
171
children and teens
15th
lowest 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

Nearly 70% of homicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

In California, 86% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 16 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).

FIREARM SUICIDES

1,586
firearm suicides in 2019, including
54
children and teens
7th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

More than half of all gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

More than 1/3 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

In California, American Indian/Alaska Native males and White males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

Note: Based on a five-year average (2015-2019).

Resources

Gun Violence Restraining Order in California

  • In 2014, California became the first state to pass a Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO) law. Based on Connecticut's risk warrant law, the GVRO allows family members, household members, and law enforcement to work with courts to temporarily remove guns and prevent the purchase of new guns by individuals who pose a significant risk of harm to themselves or others. Learn more about California's GVRO at SpeakforSafety.org

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 March 2021