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Ohio data

The information below is taken from the CDC Wonder website. Their data is provided for years 1999 through 2021.*

*2022 data should be compiled and available by Jan. 2024.

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10 YRS. - US FIREARM DEATHS

10 Year US Total Deaths:

2012 Total Deaths: 33,563

2021 Total Deaths: 47,744

2012-2021 % Increase: +42%

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10 Year US Suicide Deaths:

2012 Suicide Deaths: 20,666

2021 Suicide Deaths: 26,328

2012-2021 % Increase: +27%

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10 Year US Homicide Deaths:

2012 Homicide Deaths: 11,622

2021 Homicide Deaths: 20,958

2012-2021 % Increase: +80%

10 YRS. - OHIO FIREARM DEATHS

10 Year Ohio Total Deaths:

2012 Total Deaths: 1,263

2021 Total Deaths: 1878

2012-2021 % Increase: +49%

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10 Year Ohio Suicide Deaths:

2012 Suicide Deaths:  784

2021 Suicide Deaths:  991

2012-2021 % Increase: +26%

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10 Year Ohio Homicide Deaths:

2012 Homicide Deaths:  437 

2021 Homicide Deaths:  872

2012-2021 % Increase: +100%

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US & OHIO FIREARM DEATH RATES

10 Year US Death Rates (per 100,000)

2012 US Crude Rate: 10.69

2021 US Crude Rate: 14.39

2012-2021 Rate Increase: +35%

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10 Year Ohio Death Rates (per 100,000)

2012 OH Crude Rate:  10.93

2021 OH Crude Rate:  15.90

2012-2021 Rate Increase: +46%

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Comparing Ohio to Overall US Rate:

2012: Ohio rate was 2% above US rate

2021: Ohio rate was 11% above US rate 

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CONCLUSION: MORE GUNS IN MORE HANDS LEAD TO MORE GUN VIOLENCE FOR OHIOANS

Comparing 10 Years of Gun Death Numbers - US and Ohio:

  • both US and Ohio gun deaths increased significantly over 10 years;

  • both the US and Ohio experienced relatively stable numbers from 2011-2014, then increased sharply to plateau again from 2017-2019 only to rise again dramatically in 2020;

  • Note: we will not have 2022 numbers from the CDC until late in 2023, but Gun Violence Archive also builds a respected gun violence database, and Gun Violence Archive has a preliminary estimate of nearly 45,000 US gun deaths in 2021 (https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/past-tolls);

 

Comparing 10 Years of Gun Death Rates - US and Ohio:​

  • comparing gun death rates allows a direct comparison of Ohio data to US data;

  • at the beginning of this period Ohio's gun death rate was approximately equal to the overall US rate, but in 2015 that began to change - since then Ohio's gun death rate has been significantly and consistently above the overall US rate;

  • Ohio's gun suicide rate and Ohio's gun homicide rate are both increasing even faster that the overall US rates;

  • years of policies and laws that promote easy access to guns and the proliferation of guns into more hands and more places have not made Ohioans safer; in fact the data shows that firearms are an increasing threat to Ohioans' safety.

 

What else has been going on in Ohio in the last 20 years that might account for the great increase in gun deaths and gun death rates?
POPULATION GROWTH
Does population growth in Ohio explain the growth in gun deaths? Logically, a growing population might explain the growth in gun violence.

But that is not the case.

The graph at right compares Ohio's population growth from 2001 to 2021
to the growth in numbers of gun deaths and the growth in gun death rate.
Ohio's population has increased less than 4% since 2001 but gun violence has nearly doubled since then.

Sources: US Census, CDC-WONDER
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LEGISLATION
Does Ohio's expansion of rights for gun owners in the past 20 years offer an explanation for increased gun violence in the state?
 
The timeline below highlights key legislation passed in Ohio that expanded the rights of gun owners to carry concealed firearms, expanded legal defenses for using a gun against another person, and reduced restrictions on gun owners' rights.
  • 2004: Ohio passes “shall issue” concealed carry law;

  • 2006: Ohio passes law to establish state preemption on gun regulation (later upheld by Ohio Supreme Court) against "home rule" challenges;

  • 2008: Ohio passes law that secures “Castle Doctrine” rights in home and car and also expands rights of permit holders to carry concealed guns into many previously prohibited places;

  • 2011: Ohio passes law to expand concealed carry rights into establishments that serve alcohol, both restaurants and bars, based on the condition that the concealed carrier will not drink;

  • 2012: Ohio passes law reducing competency requirements for concealed carry permits renewals;

  • 2014: Ohio passes law reducing the training requirement for concealed carry permits as well as eliminating or reducing numerous restrictions on concealed carry rights;

  • 2016: Ohio passes law to permit concealed carry in numerous previously prohibited places including day care facilities and higher ed institutions with permission, and employer owned parking lots;

  • 2020: Ohio passes “stand your ground” law expanding the right to claim self defense as a legal justification for the use of deadly force;

  • 2022: Ohio passes "permit-less carry" law allowing anyone who can legally purchase a gun to carry it - concealed or in plain view - in public; no permit, no background check or training required.

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