Colorado's 40-year high in gun deaths, explained
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Gun deaths reached a 40-year high in Colorado in 2021, state data shows.
Why it matters: The data — along with recent shootings at schools and an LGBTQ nightclub — helps explain why gun violence moved to center stage in Colorado and spurred a major legislative package of firearm restrictions now sitting on the governor's desk.
By the numbers: Nearly 23,500 people in the state died from firearms from 1980 to 2021, an analysis of state data by the Colorado Sun found.
- The death rate per 100,000 reached 18.2 in 2021, well above the previous modern record of 16.3 in 1981.
Zoom in: Three-quarters of gun deaths in Colorado are suicides, totaling about 17,300 since 1980.
- People between the ages of 25 and 44 account for the largest group of firearm deaths in recent years.
- 85% of those killed by a gun are men.
What to watch: The number of people killed by guns is expected to increase by roughly 1,000 when 2022 numbers are finalized soon.