Community Corner
Over Half Of All Homicides In Maryland Are Committed With A Gun
Homicides surged in the U.S. by nearly 30 percent in 2020, the largest annual increase since record keeping began.
2022-09-20
Homicides surged in the U.S. by nearly 30% in 2020, the largest annual increase since record keeping began. The same year, U.S. firearm sales hit an all-time high of nearly 23 million, increasing 24% from 2019, according to consulting firm Small Arms Analytics.
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The increase in gun sales at the same time that murders spiked may be more than mere coincidence. Based on local police department data compiled by the FBI, an estimated 77% of murders were committed with a firearm in 2020. Firearm homicide numbers vary considerably by state, however.
In Maryland, a total of 490 murders committed in 2020 had a weapon associated it. Of those murders with a known weapon type, 81.6% involved a firearm, the ninth most of the 45 states with available data.
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Nationwide, handguns are by far the most commonly used firearm type in murder cases, and in Maryland, handguns were used in 354 of the 400 murder cases involving firearms.
According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program, the overall murder rate in Maryland stands at 9.1 for every 100,000 people, compared to the national homicide rate of 6.5 per 100,000.
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This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.
