As of 1996, it was estimated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that there are just under 239 million guns in the United States, well over 86 million of which are handguns.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms

In the United States, there were 32,436 firearm-related deaths in 1997.  17,566 were firearm-related suicides, 13,522 were firearm-related homicides, and 1,348 were undetermined/unintentional firearm related deaths.  In comparison, 33,651 Americans were killed in the Korean War and 58,148 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1999

Center to Prevent Handgun Violence

Each hour, guns kill four people and are used to commit 120 crimes in the United States.

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, New England Journal of Medicine, 1998

In 1997, 4,223 children under the age of 19 died of gun-related injuries.  This means that every day in America, nearly 12 young people died of gunshot wounds.

Center to Prevent Handgun Violence based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "1997 Final Mortality Statistics"

Of all accidental fatalities involving firearms, 71 percent involve handguns.

General Accounting Office, 1991

94 percent of women and 81 percent of men support requiring that guns have safety triggers.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL/NBC NEWS Poll, July 1999

The rate of firearm death of children 0 to 14 years old is nearly 12 times higher in the U.S. than in 25 other industrialized countries combined.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

For every child killed by a gun, four are wounded.

Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, Annest JL, Journal of the American Medical Association, 1995

Eighteen, nineteen and twenty year olds ranked first, second and third as perpetrators of gun homicides committed in 1997.

U.S. Department of Treasury and U.S. Department of Justice, June 1999

The United States spends $2.3 billion a year treating gunshot wounds - almost half (48%) of that expense is paid by taxpayers through Medicare, Medicaid, workers' compensation, and various government programs. The average cost per gunshot wound is $14,600 for emergency care, and an additional $35,400 in lifetime care.

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Journal of American Medicine, August 1999

In 1996, handguns were used to murder 2 people in New Zealand, 15 in Japan, 30 in Great Britain, 106 in Canada, 213 in Germany and 9,390 in the United States.

Center to Prevent Handgun Violence

A total of 1,596 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the last 10 years, an average of one death every 54 hours or 160 per year.  There were 156 police deaths in 1998, which represents a slight decrease from the 160 officers who died in 1997.

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Inc.

Since 1994, the Brady Act has prevented 312,000 prohibited persons from acquiring firearms from Federal firearm licensees (FFLs) and the "instant check" system in effect since December of 1998 has stopped over 90,000 more.

U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Department of Justice Reports, 1999

More than 4,000 shows dedicated primarily to the sale or exchange of firearms are held annually in the United States.  Under the current Brady Act, non-licensed gun dealers --  who make up one-quarter or more of the sellers at gun shows -- are not required to conduct background checks on purchasers.

U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Department of Justice Report, 1999

94 percent of women and 86 percent of men support requiring background checks on people who want to buy any type of gun.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL/NBC NEWS Poll, July 1999

When asked the question, "As a result of the violence in Littleton, Colorado, how important do you think it is for this country to... pass stricter gun control laws?" 78 percent of the respondents said very or somewhat important, and only 22 percent said not too important, not at all important, or don't know.

Newsweek -- Princeton Survey Research Associates, April 1999