Gun violence in the United States is a big issue - and most cases have a tragic story that doesn’t make the news very often. While mass shootings, terrorism or police shootings are featured regularly, most gun deaths in America are suicides.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wonder platform, almost two thirds of the almost 40,000 annual gun deaths in America are in fact suicides. 85 percent of cases involve men, about half of whom are over the age of 45. The total number of gun deaths has been rising from around 33,000 annual deaths between 2012 and 2014.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline helps people in distress 24/7 with free and confidential support. The service is available at 1800-273 8255 or via chat. For a global list of phone numbers, click here.
