WRONG DIRECTION

Over 15,000 People Were Fatally Shot in the U.S. Last Year, Says Report

The figure represents a 3 percent increase in gun deaths from the previous year, while nonfatal firearm injuries climbed 5 percent to 29,613.

At least 15,292 people were fatally shot in the United States last year, according to a new report from a nonprofit that advocates against gun violence. The figure, released Thursday by the Gun Violence Archive group, represents a 3 percent increase in gun deaths from the previous year. The group also reported that the number of nonfatal firearm injuries grew to 29,613, which is a 5 percent increase over the previous year. The numbers, detailed in a report from The Trace, show that gun violence got worse in 2019 after a slight decrease between 2017 and 2018. The figures do not include suicides, which make up the majority of gun deaths. The report states that mass shootings, in which four or more people are shot, are also on the rise, with 5 percent of the injuries and deaths recorded last year occurring during mass shootings, compared to less than 4 percent in 2018. Shootings of children and teens also rose —the site reported 3,771 victims under the age of 18 killed or injured, compared to 3,539 in 2018.