Firearm-related deaths among high school-aged youth have surged over the past two decades, surpassing motor vehicle collisions as the leading cause of death since 2017, according to a new study led by Washington State University researchers.
The study, published in Injury Epidemiology, analyzed federal data from 2001 to 2022 for 11- to 18-year-olds in both rural and urban areas.
Researchers found that firearm deaths increased from 1,945 in 2001 to 3,224 in 2022 — a 65% rise overall.
Elizabeth Weybright, an associate professor in WSU’s Department of Human Development and the study’s corresponding author, said the research highlights the importance of separating older adolescents from younger children when studying firearm-related deaths.
“While that data was interesting and informative, high schoolers are very different from toddlers,” Weybright said. “When data for children and adolescents is combined, we’re missing key information that can help us prevent firearm injury and death. It seems practical to focus on middle school and high school adolescents and where they live.”
Researchers found that high school students, ages 14 to 18, face a much higher risk of firearm injury and death than younger adolescents, regardless of whether they live in urban or rural areas.
Firearms have become the leading cause of death for urban high schoolers, overtaking motor vehicle crashes earlier than previously reported.
While car crashes remain the top cause of death for rural high schoolers, those deaths are declining, while firearm deaths are climbing.
Since 2001, firearm homicides among rural high schoolers have increased more than 362%.
Suicide remains the leading cause of firearm death for both middle and high school students in rural areas.
In urban areas, homicides account for most firearm deaths — up more than 127% since a low point in 2013.
“It was a bit striking the magnitude of the increase that we saw in firearm-related homicide deaths,” said Elizabeth Weybright, WSU Associate Professor. “Not just in urban areas, but also in rural areas.”
In King County, prosecutors report that while overall gun violence has decreased, gun deaths among children under 17 have doubled from 2019 to last year.
Diana Chen from the King County Prosecutor’s Office noted a correlation between lack of school attendance and involvement in the juvenile justice system.
Chen highlighted the introduction of firearm modifications, such as switches that turn guns into machine guns, as a factor in the increased lethality of firearms.
The WSU study also shows a 127% increase in firearm homicides among urban high schoolers since 2013, and a 362% increase among rural high schoolers since 2001.
Both Weybright and Chen emphasize the importance of keeping kids in school, and providing education, and proper firearm storage as key measures to prevent further tragedies.
They advocate for involving adolescents in initiatives to address the problem.
A bill to stiffen penalties for teen gun crimes in Washington is set to be reintroduced in the next legislative session.
“Across rural and urban settings, we’re seeing quite an increase in firearm-related homicides for high schoolers,” Weybright said. “These findings contribute significantly to our knowledge of what’s actually happening.”
The study emphasizes that firearm safety guidance should be tailored to a child’s developmental stage.
Weybright said parents often receive general advice about safe storage but may not adjust those practices as their children grow older and gain more independence.
“Often, the support and guidance we give parents about safe firearm storage isn’t tailored by youth developmental stage,” she said. “As a child starts to age and have more autonomy, that could be a time to revisit firearm safety practices and provide different types of messaging.”
She also called for a broader approach to addressing firearm violence in rural communities, which have traditionally focused on suicide prevention.
“We talk a lot about youth suicide risk in rural areas and less about the risk for homicide,” Weybright said. “This study highlights that we need interventions for both.”
The research team included WSU Research Associate Heather Terral, Kelsey Conrick and Ali Rowhani-Rahbar of the University of Washington, and Patrick Carter of the University of Michigan.
Weybright said she hopes to secure more funding to explore effective, context-specific messaging for youth and families in both urban and rural settings.
“The more we can use research to inform effective interventions, the more we are moving in the right direction,” she said. “What’s key is approaching this from a place of respect. I’m not here to change what’s important to someone. My biggest motivation is to understand context and keep people safe.”