Suicide and Firearms
- More than 50% of all firearm deaths are suicides (CDC)
- More than 60 % of North Carolina Suicides are Committed with a Firearm (Violent Death Reporting System, Annual Report, 2006)
- A gun in the home triples the risk of suicide (Douglas Wiebe, "Homicide and Suicide Risks Associated with Firearms in the Home: A National Case-Control Study)
- A firearm is used in most youth suicide.
- 85% of suicide attempts with a firearm are fatal (Means Matters, Havard Injury Control Research Center)
- Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in younger people age 15-24, with about 12 people in this age group dying each day from suicide.
- 85% of youth under 18 who died by firearm suicide used a family member's gun, often a parent's (Means Matters, Havard Injury Control Research Center)
For more information:
Brady Campaign: Facts on Gun Violence and Suicide
Harvard School of Public Health: Suicide, Guns, and Public Health
The Jed Foundation: Preventing Suicide and Reducing Emotional Distress

