Each year, the Centers for Disease Control updates their Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) database with fatal injury data provided by state health departments. Data included in this report was sourced from the WISQARS database. The 2018 fatal injury data was recently released.

Gun violence continues to be a serious public health issue in Tennessee. Based on the most recent fatal injury data from 2018, Tennessee ranks:

• 11th for firearm mortality
• 6th for firearm homicide
• 22nd for for firearm suicide
• 4th for youth firearm mortality (ages 0-19)
• 3rd for youth firearm homicide (ages 0-19)
• 18th for youth firearm suicide (ages 0-19

Between 2008 and 2018, gun deaths went up in every single category.

• Firearm mortality increased 15 percent
• Firearm homicide increased 41 percent
• Firearm suicide increased 2 percent
• Youth firearm mortality (ages 0-19) increased 102 percent
• Youth firearm homicide (ages 0-19) increased 106 percent
• Youth firearm suicide (ages 0-19 increased 127 percent

Stronger gun laws are associated with lower rates of gun death. Gun laws in Tennessee have been loosened over the last decade and are considered among the weakest in the country.

Click here for national rankings by 2018 firearm death rates and gun law strength

Tennessee Firearm Mortality: 2008 - 2018

Firearm mortality includes all forms of fatal gun violence: all violence-related fatal shootings, including homicides, fatal domestic violence shootings, and legal intervention, as well as firearm suicides, unintentional shootings, and shootings where the intent or motive is undetermined.

• Based on this data, on average, 3.4 Tennesseans die every day from gun violence, or one person every 7.1 hours

• In 2018, Tennessee ranked 11th in the nation for firearm mortality
  In 2017, Tennessee ranked 11th in the nation for firearm mortality

• Between 2008 and 2018, firearm mortality in Tennessee increased 15 percent

• Between 2008 and 2018, U.S. firearm mortality increased 16 percent

• In 2018, the Tennessee firearm mortality rate was 1.5 times the U.S rate

Tennessee Firearm Homicide: 2008 - 2018

Firearm homicide includes any murder committed with a firearm, whether the murder is the result of an altercation, a domestic situation, a road rage shooting, or committed during the commission of a criminal act, such as an armed robbery or retaliatory shooting.

• In 2018, Tennessee ranked 6th in the nation for firearm homicide
  In 2017, Tennessee ranked 7th in the nation for firearm homicide

• Between 2008 and 2018, firearm homicide in Tennessee increased 41 percent

• Between 2008 and 2018, U.S. firearm homicide increased 10 percent

• In 2018, the Tennessee firearm homicide rate was 1.75 times the U.S rate

Tennessee Firearm Suicide: 2008 - 2018

Firearm suicide includes any completed suicide where a gun was used. Firearm suicides are unique in both their impulsivity and their lethality. Unlike other methods of suicide, firearm suicides take little planning and are almost always successful.

Firearm suicides make up the majority of Tennessee gun deaths every year. In 2018, they made up 56 percent of total gun deaths. Nationally, firearm suicides made up 61 percent of total gun deaths. Firearm suicide rates in Tennessee outpace the national average.

• On average, 1-2 Tennesseans use a gun to take their own life every day.

• In 2018, Tennessee ranked 22nd in the nation for firearm suicide
  In 2017, Tennessee ranked 19th in the nation for firearm suicide

• Between 2008 and 2018, firearm suicide in Tennessee increased 2 percent

• Between 2008 and 2018, U.S. firearm suicides increased 20 percent

• In 2018, the Tennessee firearm suicide rate was 1.4 times the U.S rate

Tennessee Youth Firearm Mortality: 2008 - 2018

Firearm mortality includes all forms of fatal gun violence: all violence-related fatal shootings, including homicides, fatal domestic violence shootings, and legal intervention, as well as firearm suicides, unintentional shootings, and shootings where the intent or motive is undetermined.

• In 2018, Tennessee ranked 4th in the nation for firearm mortality, ages 0-19
  In 2017, Tennessee ranked 4th in the nation for firearm mortality, ages 0-19

• Between 2008 and 2018, firearm mortality in Tennessee increased 102 percent for ages 0-19

• Between 2008 and 2018, U.S. firearm mortality increased 18 percent for ages 0-19

• In 2018, the Tennessee youth firearm mortality rate was more than double the U.S. rate

Tennessee Youth Firearm Homicide: 2008 - 2018

Firearm homicide includes any murder committed with a firearm, whether the murder is the result of an altercation, a domestic situation, a road rage shooting, or committed during the commission of a criminal act, such as an armed robbery or retaliatory shooting.

• In 2018, Tennessee ranked 3rd in the nation for firearm homicide, ages 0-19
  In 2017, Tennessee ranked 4th in the nation for firearm homicide, ages 0-19

• In 2010, the rate of firearm homicides involving individuals 0-19 in Tennessee was lower than the U.S. rate. In 2018 it was more than twice the U.S rate.

• Between 2008 and 2018, firearm homicide in Tennessee increased 106 percent for ages 0-19

• Between 2008 and 2018, U.S. firearm homicides decreased 6 percent for ages 0-19

• In 2018, the Tennessee youth firearm homicide rate was 2.5 times the U.S. rate

Tennessee Youth Firearm Suicide: 2008 - 2018

Firearm suicide includes any completed suicide where a gun was used. Firearm suicides are unique in both their impulsivity and their lethality. Unlike other methods of suicide, firearm suicides take little planning and are almost always successful.

• In 2018, Tennessee was ranked 18th in the nation for firearm suicide, ages 0-19
  In 2017, Tennessee was ranked 12th in the nation for firearm suicide, ages 0-19

• The number of young people in Tennessee who take their own life with a gun has more than doubled since 2008 and is significantly higher than the U.S. average.

• Between 2008 and 2018, firearm suicide in Tennessee increased 127 percent for ages 0-19

• Between 2008 and 2018, U.S. firearm suicide increased 82 percent for ages 0-19

• In 2018, the Tennessee youth firearm suicide rate was 1.5 times the U.S. rate

Click here for a downloadable PDF version of this report.