1,035
gun deaths in Virginia, including
100
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
32%
Homicides comprised nearly 1/3 of gun deaths
66%
Suicides comprised 2/3 of gun deaths
84%
of gun death victims were male
20th
lowest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

More than 1,000 Virginians died by gun violence in 2018, an average of nearly three people every day. Suicides were 66% of the gun deaths and homicides were 32%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in Virginia increased 15%. 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 17% and the firearm suicide rate increased 18%.

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

  • 2.59 to 11.49
  • 11.50 to 20.40
  • 20.41 to 29.31
  • 29.32 to 38.18
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in Virginia, Petersburg city had the highest gun death rate, followed by Dickenson County and Danville city.

Conversely, Arlington County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Fairfax County and Alexandria city.

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

334
firearm homicides in 2018, including
52
children and teens
18th
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

1/3 of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

Nearly 80% of homicides were committed with firearms in 2018.

Demographics

In Virginia, 82% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate nearly 17 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

679
firearm suicides in 2018, including
45
children and teens
17th
lowest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

2/3 of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

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

Demographics

White (non Latino) males ages 75+ are at highest risk for firearm suicide.

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

RESOURCES

Fact Sheets and Reports:

Child Firearm Deaths in Virginia

Domestic Violence in Virginia

Firearm Homicide in Virginia

Firearm Suicide in Virginia

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