Firearm injuries

Firearm injuries are a serious public health problem. In 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 45,222 firearm-related deaths in the United States. However, more people are affected by firearm-related injuries than die each year.

In 2020, Utah had 650 firearm-related injuries, a 47% increase over 2019. Three hundred seventy-five were unintentional injuries, 60 were intentional injuries, and 51 were assaults. During 2021, Utah saw a 14% decrease in firearm-related injuries: 276 unintentional, 60 intentional, and 49 assaults. One constant we continue to see is that over 80% of all Utah firearm-related injuries are males between the ages of 15 and 44.

Firearm injuries data

Firearm injury dashboard

The Utah Public Firearm Injury Dashboard provides an interactive visual presentation of non-fatal firearm injuries in Utah. This data is from syndromic surveillance data, which gathers data from patients’ symptoms before clinical confirmation. Learn more and see more data by clicking the link. 
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Our approach to firearm unintentional injuries and deaths is centered on the idea of prevention.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts,

1-800-273-8255 or the UNI CrisisLine at 801-587-3000.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to reduce firearm deaths and injuries. A simple preventative approach we recommend to those who handle firearms is to follow the four universal rules of firearm safety.

    • Treat all firearms as if they were always loaded.
    • Never let the muzzle point at anything you are not willing to destroy.
    • Keep your fingers off the trigger until your sights are on target and you decide to shoot.
    • Be sure of your target and what is behind it.
    Another responsible action to reduce firearm injury is to keep your firearms unloaded and locked when not in use. The National Rifle Association (NRA) recommends that firearms be stored unloaded and locked away until you want to use them. Keep your ammunition in a locked safe that is separate from your gun safe. Storing ammunition away from your firearms will lower the risk of a child or other family member putting the ammunition into the gun and injuring themselves.