U.S. Surgeon General Declares Firearm Violence a Public Health Crisis, Citing Serious Threat as Gun Violence Reaches Nearly Three-Decade High

The U.S. Surgeon General declared firearm violence a public health crisis in the nation for the first time, warning that gun violence poses a "serious threat" with physical and mental tolls. In 2021, the rate of firearm-related deaths reached a nearly three-decade high, driven by spikes in gun homicides and suicides. Over 48,00 people died from firearm injuries in 2022. Gun violence is now the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, surpassing car accidents, drug overdoses, and cancer.