How many mass shootings have occurred in America in 2023?
Gun violence is a problem in American life but the issue is highly politicized, pitting gun control advocates against those who fiercely defend their right to bear arms.
We've taken a look at some of the numbers behind firearms in America.
Mass shootings are on the rise
There have been more than 630 mass shootings across the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or
more people are injured or killed. Their figures also include shootings at homes and public places.
There have been more than 600 mass shootings each year for the past three years — an average of about two a day.
The deadliest such attack occurred in Las Vegas in 2017, in which more than 50 people were killed and 500 were injured. However, most mass shootings kill fewer than 10 people.
How do American gun deaths decline?
According to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48,830 people died from gunrelated injuries in the US in 2021.
That's an increase of about 8% from 2020, which was a recordbreaking year for gun deaths.
While mass shootings and gun killings (homicide) typically receive more media attention, suicides accounted for more than half of the total in 2021.
How many guns are there in America?
While it is difficult to calculate the number of guns in private hands worldwide, the latest data from the Small Arms Survey –a Swiss-based research project – estimates that there were 390 million guns in circulation in the US in 2018.
The US ratio of 120.5 firearms per 100 residents, up from 88 per 100 in 2011, far exceeds other countries around the world.
Who supports gun control?
Most Americans are in favor of gun control.
57% of Americans surveyed said they want stricter gun laws though that fell last year according to the Gallup poll.
32% said the laws should remain the same, while 10% of those surveyed said they "should be made less strict".
Who opposes gun control?
Despite years of financial crisis and internal strife, the National Rifle Association (NRA) remains the most powerful gun lobby in the United States, with a budget large enough to influence members of Congress on gun policy.
Over the past several election cycles, it and other organizations have consistently spent more on pro-gun messaging than their rivals in the gun control lobby.
Many states have gone so far as to eliminate restrictions on who can carry a gun. For example, in June 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the "Permitless Carry Bill" into law, which allows residents of the state to carry a handgun without a license or training.
Similarly, in April last year, Georgia became the 25th state in the country to eliminate the need for a permit to conceal or openly carry a gun. The law means that any citizen of that state has the right to carry a firearm without a license or permit.
The NRA supported the legislation, and leaders within the organization called the move "a monumental moment for the Second Amendment."