Overview

• Researchers analyzed 1,021 firearm suicides among people ages 10–24 using CDC National Violent Death Reporting System data from nine states spanning 2018–2021.
• For 10–17-year-olds, the gun used was about 10 times more likely to be owned by a parent than for 20–24-year-olds.
• Among 18–24-year-olds, 69% used their own firearm and 14% used a parent's firearm.
• Of cases with known storage status, 67% of firearms were stored unlocked and 78% were loaded, while only 9% were both locked and unloaded.
• About 70% of deaths occurred in homes or apartments, and the presenting physician plans to counsel families on secure storage as the preliminary results move toward peer-reviewed publication.