New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that Alabama has the fifth-highest death rate by shootings. That includes murder, suicide, and unintentional accidents.
Alabama had 26.09 gun deaths per 100,000 residents in 2021. Mississippi had the highest rate of gun deaths at 32.61 deaths per 100,000. Louisiana came in second with 28.42 deaths per 100,000. New Mexico was third with 27.32 and Wyoming with 26.78.
The national average is 14.71 gun deaths per 100,000 citizens.
The five states with the lowest rates of gun deaths in 2021 were Rhode Island with 5.84, New York with 5.43, New Jersey with 5.13, Hawaii with 4.93, and Massachusetts at 3.54.
Gun control advocates with the Violence Policy Center (VPC) insist that states with the lowest rates of overall gun death in the nation have strong gun violence prevention laws and low rates of gun ownership.
The VPC analysis used 2021 CDC Wonder data and refers to overall gun death rates in 2021, the most recent year for which data is available.
The total number of Americans killed by gunfire in 2021 was 48,830, an eight percent increase from 45,222 in 2020. The nationwide gun death rate in 2021 increased from 13.73 per 100,000 in 2020 to 14.71 per 100,000 in 2021.
Both gun homicides and gun suicides increased in 2021. The number of gun homicides increased from 19,384 in 2020 to 20,958 in 2021 – an eight percent increase. Firearm suicide deaths also increased by eight percent in 2021 – from 24,292 in 2020 to 26,328 in 2021.
67,423 Alabamians died in 2022. The largest cause of death in Alabama was from heart disease, with 15,563 – up 6.96%. The second leading cause of death was cancer, with 9,830 – down 2.45%. 1,098 Alabamians died from firearms (suicides, murders, and accidents). Firearm deaths were up .64%. 598 Alabamians were murdered in 2022 by all methods. Murders were up .67% in the state last year. The total number of deaths by suicide (all methods) was 819. That was up .61%. Both total deaths and death rates were up in 2022. These numbers are still very preliminary.
Beginning on January 1, all Alabamians who have not lost their legal gun rights can carry their handguns with them on their person or in their vehicles whether they have a concealed carry permit or not. This is due to the passage of permitless carry (also called constitutional carry) legislation by the state legislature in 2021. The end of the permit requirement went into effect on January 1.
Alabama is a strong Second Amendment state with a very high rate of gun ownership.
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