343
gun deaths in West Virginia, including
16
children and teens
(ages 0-19)
19%
Homicides comprised 1/5 of gun deaths
75%
Suicides comprised the majority of gun deaths
82%
of gun death victims were male
9th
highest gun death rate in the country in 2018

GUN DEATHS BY INTENT, 2018

More than 300 West Virginians died by gun violence in 2018, an average of nearly one person every day. Suicides were 75% of the gun deaths and homicides were 19%.

Number of deaths

TRENDS OVER TIME

Over the last 10 years (2009-2018), the overall gun death rate in West Virginia increased 39%. 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 26% and the firearm suicide rate increased 45%.

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

  • 7.99 to 14.59
  • 14.60 to 21.20
  • 21.21 to 27.81
  • 27.82 to 34.21
  • Suppressed /
    Unreliable

Among the counties in West Virginia, McDowell County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Clay County and Doddridge County.

Conversely, Ohio County had the lowest gun death rate, followed by Jefferson County and Putnam 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

66
firearm homicides in 2018
19th
lowest firearm homicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

Nearly 20% of gun deaths were homicides in 2018.

Homicide by Method

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

Demographics

In West Virginia, 75% of firearm homicide victims are male and Black males are disproportionately impacted. Black males aged 15-34 have a firearm homicide rate 9 times higher than White (non Latino) males of the same age group.

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

FIREARM SUICIDES

257
firearm suicides in 2018, including
12
children and teens
5th
highest firearm suicide rate in the U.S.

Gun Deaths by Intent

3/4 of gun deaths were suicides in 2018.

Suicide by Method

Nearly 2/3 of 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

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