#1 Cause of Death. Four Years Running.
Firearms surpassed motor vehicle accidents as the leading cause of death for American children in 2020. They have held that position for four consecutive years. In 2024, 2,227 children and adolescents ages 1-19 died from gunfire.
2,227 children killed by guns in 2024. Leading cause of death for 4 years. 63% homicide, 29% suicide, 5% accidental. The U.S. accounts for 97% of child gun deaths among comparable countries.
Between 2018 and 2021, the child firearm death rate increased 41.6%. Pediatric firearm deaths jumped 28.8% in 2020 alone.
The Breakdown
Of children killed by firearms in 2023, 63% were homicides, 29% were suicides, and 5% were accidental. Sixty-eight percent of all child assault deaths involved a firearm. Forty-five percent of all child suicide deaths involved a firearm.
The 10 states with the highest child gun death rates in 2020 were Louisiana, Alaska, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, and Alabama. All 10 received an “F” grade from Giffords for weak gun laws.
States with permissive gun laws had child firearm death rates of 3.37 per 100,000 compared to 1.71 per 100,000 in states with restrictive laws. Everytown’s 2026 analysis found that if every state matched the rates of the 10 states with strongest gun laws, 262,000 lives could be saved over the next decade.
No Peer Country Comes Close
The United States accounts for 97% of gun-related child and teen deaths among comparable OECD countries, despite representing only 46% of the population in those countries. The U.S. child firearm mortality rate is 9.5 times Canada’s, the country with the second-highest rate.
Firearms are the leading cause of death for U.S. children. In the 11 other large, wealthy countries studied, firearms rank no higher than fifth. The U.S. is the only peer country where child firearm deaths have substantially increased in the past two decades. Every other nation saw decreases.
What you can do now
- Call both of your senators and ask them to cosponsor the Virginia Plan, which would implement universal background checks, red flag laws, and safe storage requirements at the federal level. States with restrictive gun laws have child firearm death rates of 1.71 per 100,000 compared to 3.37 in permissive states. The evidence is clear. Use Resist Bot to send your message.
- Check your state’s Giffords gun law scorecard at giffords.org and contact your state legislators about specific gaps. All 10 states with the highest child gun death rates received an “F” grade. If your state is one of them, push for red flag laws, secure storage requirements, and permit-to-purchase laws.
- Contact your House representative and ask them to restore CDC and NIH funding for gun violence research. 2,227 children died from gunfire in 2024 and 29% of those deaths were suicides, a category where safe storage laws and waiting periods have measurable impact.
- Find your state’s full delegation at your state page and tell them Everytown’s analysis shows 262,000 lives could be saved over the next decade if every state matched the 10 states with the strongest gun laws.