1 in 17
For every 17 Extreme Risk Protection Orders issued, one suicide is prevented. When the order involves someone with a known suicide risk, the ratio improves to 1 in 13. These numbers come from peer-reviewed research, not advocacy estimates.
1 suicide prevented for every 17 red flag orders issued. For known suicide risk, 1 in 13.
ERPOs, also called red flag laws, allow family members, law enforcement, or in some states healthcare providers to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from someone in crisis. The court reviews the evidence and issues a time-limited order. The firearms are returned when the crisis passes.
The Evidence
UC Berkeley researchers found that ERPO laws reduced firearm suicides by 3.79 per 100,000 population, with an estimated 675 suicides prevented across four states in the years following passage.
In California, researchers found the state’s red flag law prevented 58 potential mass shootings. At the time of publication, none of the threatened shootings had occurred, and no other homicides or suicides by the individuals subject to orders were identified.
RAND’s analysis of ERPO laws found supportive evidence that they reduce firearm suicides. This matters because 60% of gun deaths are suicides and firearms have a 90% fatality rate for suicide attempts, compared to 8% for overdose.
20+ States Have Them
Over 20 states have enacted some form of ERPO law. Maine became the latest in 2026. The laws vary in who can petition (family, law enforcement, healthcare providers, educators), how long the order lasts, and what due process protections are included.
Everytown’s research found that ERPO laws are used primarily for suicide prevention. The majority of orders are sought by family members or law enforcement responding to someone in a mental health crisis, not by political actors targeting gun owners.
Six States Are Moving to Ban Them
While the evidence accumulates, six states are considering legislation to ban or preempt ERPO laws. The argument is that ERPOs violate due process, even though they require a court hearing with judicial review before firearms are removed.
A person in crisis who has access to a firearm has a 90% chance of dying if they attempt suicide. Remove the firearm during the crisis and 90% of those people survive. That is what red flag laws do.
Read more on the Guns and Public Safety hub and the gun violence data brief.