Gun Violence Data Hub

News consumers are understandably horrified and invested in the details of mass shootings, yet these large-scale tragedies account for a small fraction of the overall number of gun deaths in the U.S. In 2021, nearly 50,000 Americans died of gunshot wounds. Roughly 1% of those deaths were the result of mass shootings. Suicides regularly make up about half of all gun deaths, while an overwhelming portion of the other half are homicides of people of color. 

It is difficult to find gun violence data, and the data that does exist is often incomplete and unreliable. In this guide, we share data sources trusted by Trace staffers and examples from our archive to demonstrate how information can be turned into local and national stories.

Learn more about the Trace’s Gun Violence Data Hub