About 25O,000 civilian gun deaths annually: 65.9% occur in just six countries

The AR-15, initially designed for combat, has evolved into one of the most controversial firearms in the U.S., used in both military and civilian contexts, including mass shootings

In 2023, there were 46,728 gun deaths in the United States, with a new record high for firearm suicides at 27,300.

This was the third-highest annual total for gun deaths, though the overall gun death rate declined slightly from the previous year.

Firearms remain the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. and are used in more than half of all total gun deaths, with suicides accounting for the majority each year since 1995.

Firearms were the leading cause of death for young people aged 1 to 17 in the U.S..

On average, someone died from a gun in the U.S. every 11 minutes in 2023.

Males were seven times more likely than females to die of gun suicide in 2023, and the gun suicide rate among males 70 years and older was by far the highest of any age/gender subgroup. 

Unintentional 463; Law Enforcement ~604; This figure is an estimate, as these incidents can be underreported in official CDC data. Undetermined Intent ~434 

·      Gun Deaths by Country 2025

·     Jamaica : 42 per 100k population (2023 data). A separate source, using 2022 data, reported an even higher rate of 44.7 per 100k inhabitants.

·     Ecuador : 39.5 per 100k population (2023 data).

·     Honduras : 23.1 per 100k population (2023 data). The 2021 rate was reported as 28.7 per 100k  inhabitants.

·     Belize : 22.6 per 100k population (2023 data). 

M  Mexico : 17.2 per 100k population (2023 data).

United States : 4.4 per 100k population (2023 data).

Venezuela also had a very high rate of 44.1 gun deaths per 100,000 population in 2021, though more recent data was not available in the search results. Other countries with high rates include St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Out of the estimated 250,227 gun-related deaths worldwide in 2019, 65.9% occurred in just six countries: Brazil, the United States, Venezuela, Mexico, India, and Colombia.

All the other countries are in decimal points.

"In contrast to the U.S. and Latin America, gun deaths are extremely rare in countries like Japan, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Australia. 

"These countries have implemented incentives or passed legislation to decrease the number of firearms in circulation. For example, in July 2021, Australia implemented a permanent gun amnesty program, in which unregistered firearms could be anonymously surrendered at police stations.

Japan boasts a population of more than 127 million people, yet finished 2019 with a gun death rate of only .02 per 100,000 people. One major factor in this success is that Japan has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world. 

For Japanese citizens to purchase a gun, they must attend an all-day class, pass a written exam, and complete a shooting range test, scoring at least 95% accuracy. Candidates will also receive a mental health evaluation, performed at a hospital, and will have a comprehensive background check done by the government. Only shotguns and rifles can be purchased. The class and exam must be retaken every three years."

UN: List of countries by firearm-related homicide rates

The population of the U.S. is 342,000,000, and the European Union (27 countries) is 450,000,000.  

The EU's population is larger, but the US population has grown more rapidly in recent decades compared to the EU's slowing growth rate.

"The United States has a significantly higher rate of deaths from gun violence compared to the European Union, with the U.S. firearm homicide rate estimated to be around 22 times larger than that of the EU on a per capita basis.

United States: The firearm homicide rate was 4.11 per 100,000 people. European Union (27 nations): The firearm homicide rate was 0.19 per 100,000 people.

United States: The firearm homicide rate was 4.11 per 100,000 people. European Union (27 nations): The firearm homicide rate was 0.19 per 100,000 people.

Overall Mortality: The U.S. has the highest overall rate of death from firearms among high-income countries, nearly five times higher than the next highest nation in some analyses. Firearm violence was officially declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General in June 2024.

The United States has by far the highest per capita civilian gun ownership rate in the world, with over 120 firearms per 100 people in a 2017 study, and more recent estimates exceeding 1.5 guns per person. This rate is significantly higher than other nations, and researchers link it to higher gun homicide rates."

EU Contrast: Most EU countries have substantially lower ownership rates and stricter regulations. 

For example, countries like the UK and Japan have very low rates, while even European nations with higher rates due to strong hunting or militia traditions (like Switzerland and Finland) have rates that are less than a third of the U.S. rate.

Studies consistently point to a correlation between high gun ownership rates and increased gun homicide rates within the U.S. and in comparison to other high-income countries, where the U.S. gun homicide rate is significantly higher.

 Regulatory Differences: Gun laws vary significantly, from the U.S. Second Amendment right to bear arms to strict licensing and background check requirements in most other nations, which often require individuals to provide a specific reason (like hunting or sport shooting, but rarely self-defence) for owning a firearm.

Other key findings in a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its latest report on gun deaths include:

• Gun suicide rates were higher in rural states compared to more urban states. The state with the highest gun suicide rate, Wyoming, had about 10 times the gun suicide rate of Massachusetts, which had the lowest.
• Males were seven times more likely than females to die of gun suicide in 2023, and the gun suicide rate among males 70 years and older was by far the highest of any age/gender subgroup.
• Gun suicide rates continued to rise rapidly among Black youth (ages 10–19)— more than tripling with a 245% increase since 2014 and increasing 81% since 2019. In contrast, the rates for white youth declined by 6% from 2019 to 2023. As a result, in 2023, gun suicide rates among Black youth were higher than those among white youth for the second year in a row.
• Gun suicide rates doubled from 2014 to 2023 among Hispanic youth ages 10–19.
• From 2019 to 2023, the gun suicide rate increased by 65% among Black females and 25% among Hispanic females.

• Gun-related violence occurs all around the world, including (to a lesser extent) countries in which guns are illegal.

  Gun deaths are considered an epidemic in the United States (which leads the world in civilian gun ownership) by many people, particularly those on the left side of the political spectrum.

Disscusion

On the eve of Thanksgiving, a 29-year-old Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., one of whom, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, later died.

In response, President Trump announced new and intensified immigration policies, including a proposed plan to permanently pause migration from "all Third World Countries" and re-examine all Afghan entrants, but not an immediate mass ejection of all people from "19 Third World countries."

The aechaic terms "first," "second," and "third world" originated during the Cold War to categorise countries based on their political alliances.

The First World included the United States and its capitalist allies; the Second World comprised the Soviet Union and its communist allies; and the Third World consisted of countries that were not aligned with either bloc. Today, the terms have evolved, with "Third World" often used to mean "developing country" and "First World" meaning "developed country"

The suspect apparently had no job and had mental problems. and apparently bought a gun in Washington State.