Gunfire death rate increases in 7-year period in Alabama

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – People killed by gunfire in Alabama have increased 22 percent within a seven-year period.

AL.com reports that the Violence Policy Center states the gunfire death rate was the second highest in the United States with 21.51 fatalities per 100,000 people.

The number of people killed by gunfire in the U.S. increased by 17 percent.

The gunfire deaths included in the statistics are homicides, suicides and accidental shootings.

The report states Alaska is the only other state with a higher rate of gunfire deaths than Alabama with 23.86 fatalities per 100,000 people.

The state with the lowest rate is Massachusetts with 3.55 per 100,000 people.

The report also shows that not all states witnessed an increase in gun deaths.

Rhode Island’s rate decreased by nearly 13 percent.

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