Table 1 Characteristics of fatal and nonfatal unintentional firearm injuries in adolescents, May 2022 to May 2023
From: Association between unintentional firearm injury characteristics and deaths in adolescents
Overall (N = 319) | Fatal (N = 107) | Non-fatal (N = 212) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Victim age | |||
12 | 33 (10.3%) | 11 (10.3%) | 22 (10.4%) |
13 | 32 (10.0%) | 8 (7.5%) | 24 (11.3%) |
14 | 39 (12.2%) | 17 (15.9%) | 22 (10.4%) |
15 | 58 (18.2%) | 24 (22.4%) | 34 (16.0%) |
16 | 52 (16.3%) | 16 (15.0%) | 36 (17.0%) |
17 | 60 (18.8%) | 22 (20.6%) | 38 (17.9%) |
Unspecified teen | 45 (14.1%) | 9 (8.4%) | 36 (17.0%) |
Victim sex | |||
Male | 229 (71.8%) | 83 (77.6%) | 146 (68.9%) |
Female | 68 (21.3%) | 24 (22.4%) | 44 (20.8%) |
Unspecified | 22 (6.9%) | 0 (0%) | 22 (10.4%) |
Shooter age | |||
0–11 | 5 (1.6%) | 1 (0.9%) | 4 (1.9%) |
12–18 | 198 (62.1%) | 77 (72.0%) | 121 (57.1%) |
Adult, 19 or older | 43 (13.5%) | 18 (16.8%) | 25 (11.8%) |
Unspecified | 73 (22.9%) | 11 (10.3%) | 62 (29.2%) |
Shooter sex | |||
Male | 214 (67.1%) | 82 (76.6%) | 132 (62.3%) |
Female | 14 (4.4%) | 10 (9.3%) | 4 (1.9%) |
Both male and female or unspecified | 91 (28.5%) | 15 (14.0%) | 76 (35.8%) |
Location | |||
Victim’s home | 37 (11.6%) | 13 (12.1%) | 24 (11.3%) |
Other home | 139 (43.6%) | 61 (57.0%) | 78 (36.8%) |
Public location | 66 (20.7%) | 12 (11.2%) | 54 (25.5%) |
Other/unspecified location | 77 (24.1%) | 21 (19.6%) | 56 (26.4%) |
Circumstance | |||
Cleaning gun or other accidental | 271 (85.0%) | 98 (91.6%) | 173 (81.6%) |
Hunting/sport shooting | 11 (3.4%) | 4 (3.7%) | 7 (3.3%) |
Stray bullet | 37 (11.6%) | 5 (4.7%) | 32 (15.1%) |
Number of firearms | |||
1 | 299 (93.7%) | 96 (89.7%) | 203 (95.8%) |
2 or more | 20 (6.3%) | 11 (10.3%) | 9 (4.2%) |
Type of firearm involved | |||
Handgun | 76 (23.8%) | 27 (25.2%) | 49 (23.1%) |
Long gun | 17 (5.3%) | 6 (5.6%) | 11 (5.2%) |
Unspecified | 226 (70.8%) | 74 (69.2%) | 152 (71.7%) |
Firearm owner | |||
Self (shooter) | 61 (19.1%) | 24 (22.4%) | 37 (17.5%) |
Family member | 35 (11.0%) | 15 (14.0%) | 20 (9.4%) |
Peer | 12 (3.8%) | 8 (7.5%) | 4 (1.9%) |
Other/unspecified | 211 (66.1%) | 60 (56.1%) | 151 (71.2%) |
Census region | |||
Midwest | 79 (24.8%) | 20 (18.7%) | 59 (27.8%) |
Northeast | 40 (12.5%) | 12 (11.2%) | 28 (13.2%) |
South | 158 (49.5%) | 59 (55.1%) | 99 (46.7%) |
West | 42 (13.2%) | 16 (15.0%) | 26 (12.3%) |
Shooter’s relationship to victim | |||
Self as shooter | 68 (21.3%) | 15 (14.0%) | 53 (25.0%) |
Family member as shooter | 35 (11.0%) | 13 (12.1%) | 22 (10.4%) |
Peer as shooter | 110 (34.5%) | 59 (55.1%) | 51 (24.1%) |
Other shooter | 106 (33.2%) | 20 (18.7%) | 86 (40.6%) |