New research shows gun deaths among children are up 50%

Gun deaths among America’s children have risen by 50% in two years. New data from the Pew Research Center has more children and teenagers killed by gunfire in 2021 than any year on record. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention started tracking the data in 1999.

In 2019, there were 1,732 kids that were 18 years or younger who were killed by a gun. In 2020, that number rose to 2,281. By 2021, 2,590 children were killed by gunfire. That’s a 50% increase in a two year span. These numbers are part of an overall trend of gun deaths hitting historic highs.

In 2021, there were more than 48,000 gun deaths among Americans of all ages. That’s the highest yearly total on record, and a 23% increase from 2019.

While the majority of adult gun deaths are by suicide, children and teens killed by gunfire are far more likely to die by homicide. Older children and teens are more likely to be victims. 12 to 17 year olds accounted for 86% of children who were killed with a gun in 2021.