Gun homicides get far more attention in the popular press, but most gun deaths are the result of suicide. In 2016, the last year for which the CDC provides numbers, 22,938 people committed suicide by firearm, while 14,415 people died in gun homicides. Historical data shows it’s been this way for a while:
In total, 38,658 people died of firearm injuries in 2016. A relatively small number (495) of those were due to accidental firings. Another 300 resulted from discharges of “undetermined intent,” and 510 resulted from “legal intervention/war.”
