2024 Gun Violence Report: Fewer Overall Incidents, but School Deaths and Injuries Are on the Rise

  • Jan 15, 2025

Omnilert, provider of gun detection technology, today released its compilation of Gun Violence Statistics for 2024 summarizing gun violence tragedies and their adverse effects on Americans and the economy. While research showed a decrease in overall deaths and injuries, the rising number of school shootings and fatalities and high number of mass shootings underscored the need to keep more people safe in schools as well as places of worship, healthcare, government, retail and commerce, finance and banking, hospitality and other public places.

The full details and 2024 gun violence statistics are available now. Key results include both encouraging and alarming trends:

  • Gun violence resulted in 40,886 deaths and 31,652 injuries, a 9 percent decrease from 2023. More than 5,200 of those were children and teens.
  • Mass shootings decreased 24 percent from 659 in 2023 to 503 this past year.
  • The number of school shootings in each of the last 4 years is more than 107 percent higher than any year prior to that for the last 25 years. In 2024, there were 330 incidents in schools.
  • The number killed and wounded by guns on K-12 school property increased 7 percent to 267 people, compared to 249 in 2023.

“The fact that there was an overall decrease in deaths and injuries is absolutely a step in the right direction, but the increased numbers in our schools and an average of 112 deaths in the U.S. each day due to gun violence is not acceptable,” said Dave Fraser, CEO of Omnilert. “Every fatality is one too many and with solutions now available to help prevent these tragedies, it is possible to start reversing all the trends if we work together and take a layered approach to mitigating gun violence.”

Hidden Costs of Gun Violence in America
he annual summary also highlighted the growing cost of gun violence to Americans across the country. This represents more than $557 billion annually, which is roughly $1700 per American citizen that could be allocated elsewhere. Two examples include:

  • Losses in revenue and productivity due to firearm injuries is estimated to cost private employers $535 million per year nationwide. Research has shown that one non-fatal firearm injury leads to roughly $30,000 in direct health care spending per survivor in the first year alone.
  • A city like Columbus, Ohio incurs $500 million in expenses per year due to gun violence. A single homicide consumes $2.1 million in tax-paid resources while one non-fatal shooting costs $738,000.

A Layered Approach to Better Protection
As the report called out, no single technology or strategy is effective by itself to curb gun violence. Instead, a layered approach is needed with different solutions working together. This includes technologies such as AI visual gun detection, security personnel and school resource officers, better training and planning, and access controls and perimeter fences, to name a few.

Featured

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.