48
gun deaths in Rhode Island
25%
Homicides comprised 1/4 of gun deaths
69%
Suicides comprised nearly 3/4 gun deaths
79%
of gun death victims were male
5th
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2019

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2019

Nearly 50 Rhode Islanders died by gun violence in 2019. Suicides were 69% of gun deaths and homicides were 25%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

After four years of a steady decline, the overall gun death rate and firearm suicide rate increased from 2018 to 2019. The overall gun death rate increased by 40% and the firearm suicide rate increased by 44%.

Age-adjusted rate per 100,000

Total gun death rate
Firearm homicide rate
Firearm suicide rate

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

County Variations

Age-adjusted gun death rate per 100,000

  • 3.26 to 3.56
  • 3.57 to 3.87
  • 3.88 to 4.18
  • 4.19 to 4.29
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Rhode Island, Providence County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Kent County.

Conversely, Newport County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Washington 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

12
firearm homicides in 2019

Gun Deaths by Intent

1/4 of gun deaths were homicides in 2019.

Homicide by Method

Half of homicides were committed with firearms in 2019.

Demographics

In Rhode Island, Black males are disproportionately impacted by firearm homicide.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

33
firearm suicides in 2019
5th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 70% of gun deaths were suicides in 2019.

Suicide by Method

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

Demographics

In Rhode Island, White males ages 55-64 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 March 2021