TABLE 4. Number, percentage,* and rate† of homicides, by selected demographic characteristics of decedent, method of injury used, location in which injury occurred, incident characteristics, and victim-suspect relationship§ — National Violent Death Reporting System, 48 states and District of Columbia,¶ 2021.
Characteristic | Male |
Female |
Total |
|||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. (%) | Rate | No. (%) | Rate | No. (%) | Rate | |
Age group, yrs
| ||||||
<1 |
137 (<1.0) |
8.8 |
98 (2.3) |
6.6 |
236 (1.1)
|
7.7
|
1–4 |
160 (<1.0) |
2.4 |
106 (2.5) |
1.7 |
266 (1.2)
|
2.0
|
5–9 |
91 (<1.0) |
1.0 |
72 (1.7) |
0.9 |
163 (<1.0)
|
0.9
|
10–14 |
171 (<1.0) |
1.8 |
76 (1.8) |
0.9 |
247 (1.1)
|
1.4
|
15–19 |
2,058 (11.4) |
21.8 |
323 (7.6) |
3.6 |
2,381 (10.7)
|
12.9
|
20–24 |
2,879 (16.0) |
30.6 |
469 (11.0) |
5.2 |
3,348 (15.0)
|
18.1
|
25–29 |
2,888 (16.0) |
29.6 |
543 (12.7) |
5.7 |
3,431 (15.4)
|
17.8
|
30–34 |
2,534 (14.1) |
25.4 |
497 (11.6) |
5.1 |
3,031 (13.6)
|
15.3
|
35–44 |
3,360 (18.7) |
18.0 |
776 (18.2) |
4.2 |
4,136 (18.6)
|
11.1
|
45–54 |
1,841 (10.2) |
10.6 |
527 (12.3) |
3.0 |
2,368 (10.6)
|
6.8
|
55–64 |
1,190 (6.6) |
6.6 |
365 (8.5) |
2.0 |
1,555 (7.0)
|
4.2
|
65–74 |
521 (2.9) |
3.9 |
251 (5.9) |
1.7 |
772 (3.5)
|
2.7
|
75–84 |
149 (<1.0) |
2.5 |
117 (2.7) |
1.5 |
266 (1.2)
|
2.0
|
≥85 |
34 (<1.0) |
1.9 |
51 (1.2) |
1.6 |
85 (<1.0)
|
1.7
|
Unknown |
2 (<1.0) |
—** |
0 (0.0) |
— |
3 (<1.0)
|
—
|
Race and ethnicity††
| ||||||
American Indian or Alaska Native |
203 (1.1) |
18.0 |
58 (1.4) |
5.0 |
261 (1.2)
|
11.4
|
Asian |
164 (<1.0) |
2.1 |
81 (1.9) |
1.0 |
245 (1.1)
|
1.5
|
Black or African American |
11,003 (61.1) |
62.5 |
1,857 (43.5) |
9.7 |
12,860 (57.7)
|
35.0
|
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander |
24 (<1.0) |
11.7 |
5 (<1.0) |
— |
29 (<1.0)
|
7.1
|
White |
3,484 (19.3) |
4.0 |
1,586 (37.1) |
1.8 |
5,071 (22.8)
|
2.9
|
More than one race |
168 (<1.0) |
5.2 |
71 (1.7) |
2.2 |
239 (1.1)
|
3.7
|
Hispanic or Latino |
2,885 (16.0) |
12.3 |
591 (13.8) |
2.6 |
3,476 (15.6)
|
7.5
|
Unspecified or unknown |
84 (<1.0) |
— |
22 (<1.0) |
— |
107 (<1.0)
|
—
|
Method
| ||||||
Firearm |
14,942 (82.9) |
10.7 |
2,872 (67.2) |
2.0 |
17,815 (79.9)
|
6.3
|
Sharp instrument |
1,322 (7.3) |
0.9 |
493 (11.5) |
0.3 |
1,815 (8.1)
|
0.6
|
Blunt instrument |
481 (2.7) |
0.3 |
243 (5.7) |
0.2 |
724 (3.2)
|
0.3
|
Personal weapons (e.g., hands, feet, or fists) |
397 (2.2) |
0.3 |
143 (3.3) |
0.1 |
540 (2.4)
|
0.2
|
Hanging, strangulation, or suffocation |
138 (<1.0) |
0.1 |
187 (4.4) |
0.1 |
326 (1.5)
|
0.1
|
Motor vehicles (e.g., buses, motorcycles, or other transport vehicles) |
99 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
43 (1.0) |
<0.1 |
142 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Poisoning |
56 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
46 (1.1) |
<0.1 |
102 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Fire or burns |
51 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
29 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
80 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Fall |
28 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
16 (<1.0) |
— |
44 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Intentional neglect |
15 (<1.0) |
— |
24 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
39 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Shaking (e.g., shaken baby syndrome) |
24 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
11 (<1.0) |
— |
35 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Drowning |
16 (<1.0) |
— |
9 (<1.0) |
— |
25 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Other (e.g., Taser, electrocution, or nail gun) |
33 (<1.0) |
— |
8 (<1.0) |
— |
41 (<1.0)
|
—
|
Unknown |
413 (2.3) |
— |
147 (3.4) |
— |
560 (2.5)
|
—
|
Location of injury
| ||||||
House or apartment |
6,458 (35.8) |
4.6 |
2,548 (59.7) |
1.8 |
9,007 (40.4)
|
3.2
|
Street or highway |
4,451 (24.7) |
3.2 |
451 (10.6) |
0.3 |
4,902 (22.0)
|
1.7
|
Motor vehicle |
2,011 (11.2) |
1.4 |
414 (9.7) |
0.3 |
2,426 (10.9)
|
0.9
|
Parking lot, public garage, or public transport |
960 (5.3) |
0.7 |
110 (2.6) |
<0.1 |
1,070 (4.8)
|
0.4
|
Commercial or retail area |
922 (5.1) |
0.7 |
102 (2.4) |
<0.1 |
1,024 (4.6)
|
0.4
|
Hotel or motel |
279 (1.5) |
0.2 |
86 (2.0) |
<0.1 |
365 (1.6)
|
0.1
|
Natural area |
246 (1.4) |
0.2 |
66 (1.5) |
<0.1 |
312 (1.4)
|
0.1
|
Bar or nightclub |
276 (1.5) |
0.2 |
25 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
301 (1.4)
|
0.1
|
Park, playground, sports, or athletic area |
248 (1.4) |
0.2 |
40 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
288 (1.3)
|
0.1
|
Jail or prison |
122 (<1.0) |
<0.1 |
2 (<1.0) |
— |
124 (<1.0)
|
<0.1
|
Other location§§ |
689 (3.8) |
— |
143 (3.3) |
— |
832 (3.7)
|
—
|
Unknown |
1,353 (7.5) |
— |
284 (6.6) |
— |
1,637 (7.3)
|
—
|
Incident characteristic
| ||||||
Emergency medical services present |
12,847 (71.3) |
9.2 |
2,862 (67.0) |
2.0 |
15,710 (70.5)
|
5.5
|
Injured at victim’s home |
3,360 (18.7) |
2.4 |
1,944 (45.5) |
1.4 |
5,305 (23.8)
|
1.9
|
Child present or witnessed incident |
1,295 (7.2) |
0.9 |
660 (15.5) |
0.5 |
1,955 (8.8)
|
0.7
|
Victim was suspected of alcohol use preceding the incident |
1,282 (7.1) |
0.9 |
243 (5.7) |
0.2 |
1,525 (6.8)
|
0.5
|
Victim was experiencing homelessness |
460 (2.6) |
0.3 |
65 (1.5) |
<0.1 |
525 (2.4)
|
0.2
|
Victim was injured at work or while working |
333 (1.8) |
0.2 |
79 (1.8) |
<0.1 |
412 (1.8)
|
0.2
|
Victim was recently released from or admitted to an institutional setting |
243 (1.3) |
0.2 |
54 (1.3) |
<0.1 |
297 (1.3)
|
0.1
|
Victim was experiencing housing instability |
205 (1.1) |
0.2 |
66 (1.5) |
<0.1 |
271 (1.2)
|
0.1
|
Victim was in public custody when injury occurred |
226 (1.3) |
0.2 |
9 (<1.0) |
— |
235 (1.1)
|
<0.1
|
Relationship of victim to suspect¶¶
| ||||||
Acquaintance or friend |
1,462 (29.1) |
1.0 |
211 (9.3) |
0.2 |
1,673 (23.0)
|
0.6
|
Spouse or intimate partner (current or former) |
374 (7.5) |
0.3 |
1,155 (51.0) |
0.8 |
1,529 (21.0)
|
0.5
|
Other person, known to victim |
1,150 (22.9) |
0.8 |
201 (8.9) |
0.1 |
1,351 (18.5)
|
0.5
|
Stranger |
910 (18.1) |
0.7 |
157 (6.9) |
0.1 |
1,067 (14.6)
|
0.4
|
Other relative |
403 (8.0) |
0.3 |
147 (6.5) |
0.1 |
550 (7.6)
|
0.2
|
Parent*** |
251 (5.0) |
0.2 |
181 (8.0) |
0.1 |
432 (5.9)
|
0.2
|
Child*** |
251 (5.0) |
0.2 |
170 (7.5) |
0.1 |
422 (5.8)
|
0.2
|
Child of suspect’s boyfriend or girlfriend (e.g., child killed by mom's boyfriend) |
65 (1.3) |
<0.1 |
33 (1.5) |
<0.1 |
98 (1.3)
|
<0.1
|
Rival gang member |
78 (1.6) |
<0.1 |
3 (<1.0) |
— |
81 (1.1)
|
<0.1
|
Other relationship††† |
74 (1.5) |
— |
7 (<1.0) |
— |
81 (1.1)
|
—
|
Total | 18,015 (100) | 12.8 | 4,271 (100) | 3.0 | 22,288 (100) | 7.9 |
* Percentages might not total 100% due to rounding. Sex was unknown for two decedents.
† Per 100,000 population.
§ The following sentence can be used as a guide for interpreting the victim-suspect relationship: “The victim is the [insert relationship] of the suspect.” For example, when a parent kills a child, the relationship is “child” not “parent” (“The victim is the child of the suspect”). This sentence is intended to be a general guide; certain relationships might not be captured by this sentence (e.g., other person known to victim or victim was law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty).
¶ Includes all U.S. states and District of Columbia, with exception of Florida and Hawaii. Data for California are for violent deaths that occurred in 31 counties (Amador, Butte, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Imperial, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Ventura, and Yolo). Data for Texas are for violent deaths that occurred in 13 counties (Bell, Bexar, Collin, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, Nueces, Tarrant, Travis, and Williamson). Denominators for the rates for California and Texas represent only the populations of the counties from which the data were collected.
** Dashes indicate cell data are suppressed because number of decedents is <20 or when characteristic response is “Other” or “Unknown.”
†† Persons of Hispanic or Latino (Hispanic) origin might be of any race but are categorized as Hispanic; all racial groups are non-Hispanic.
§§ Other location includes (in descending order): abandoned house, building, or warehouse; supervised residential facility; industrial or construction area; office building; preschool, school, college, or school bus; hospital or medical facility; synagogue, church, or temple; farm; railroad tracks; cemetery, graveyard, or other burial ground; bridge; and other unspecified location.
¶¶ Percentage is based on the number of homicide decedents with a known victim-suspect relationship (n = 7,284 [32.7%]; 5,018 [27.9%] males and 2,265 [53.0%] females); the victim-suspect relationship was unknown for 15,004 decedents.
*** Includes adoptive family members (e.g., adopted child), stepfamily members (e.g., stepparent), and foster family members (e.g., foster child).
††† Other victim-suspect relationship includes (in descending order): intimate partner of suspect’s parent (e.g., teenager kills his mother’s boyfriend) and victim was law enforcement officer injured in line of duty.