141
gun deaths in the District of Columbia, including
20
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
91%
Homicides comprised the majority of gun deaths
9%
Suicides comprised less than 10% of gun deaths
94%
of gun death victims were male
13th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

In 2019, 141 people in D.C. died by gun violence, an average of more than two people every week. Homicides made up the overwhelming majority of these deaths.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Age-adjusted rate per 100,000

Total gun death rate
Firearm homicide rate
Firearm suicide rate

Note: The CDC considers firearm suicide rates based on fewer than 20 deaths “statistically unreliable.” There were fewer than 20 firearm suicides reported from 2010-2019, therefore these data points are omitted from the graph above.

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 13.33

Note: Based on a ten-year average (2010-2019).

FIREARM HOMICIDES

128
firearm homicides in 2019, including
18
children and teens
1st
highest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

The majority of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

The majority of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.

Demographics

In the District of Columbia, Black males are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide. Young Black males ages 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 36 times higher than the national average.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

12
firearm suicides in 2019

Gun Deaths by Intent

Less than 10% of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

More than 1/4 of suicides were by firearm in 2019.

Demographics

Black males are at highest risk for firearm suicide in D.C.

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