Firearm injuries are a public health problem that can affect anyone, regardless of their sex, age, race, ethnicity, or place of residence. These can include all types of firearm injuries, including self-harm, assault, unintentional (did not happen on purpose), legal intervention or war, or undetermined. Health effects of firearm injuries include physical disability, mental health consequences, and death.
The Virginia Department of Health monitors firearm injuries using three data sources: emergency department (ED) visits, inpatient hospitalizations, and deaths. Click below to access interactive dashboards of firearm injury ED visits and firearm-related deaths or the Firearm Injuries in Virginia, 2016-2021 data brief.
If you or a loved one is in crisis, call 988 for help and support.
Virginia Firearm Injury Fast Facts
- There were 2,760 firearm injury emergency department (ED) visits in 2022, a 2% decrease from 2021.
- On average, three Virginians died by firearm every day between 2016 and 2022.
- Most deaths by firearm from 2016 to 2022 were suicide (61%), followed by homicide (36%).
- In 2022, Virginians were hospitalized for nonfatal firearm injuries for a total of 7,021 days, with over $136 million dollars in hospitalization costs.
- Males and people aged 15-24 years experienced the highest burden of firearm injury across ED visits, nonfatal hospitalizations, and deaths between 2016 and 2022.
To learn more about VDH firearm injury prevention efforts, please visit the VDH Injury Prevention website.
For information about U.S. firearm deaths, see CDC Vital Signs website.
Submit your population health data request using this form.