Risk of Suicide, Homicide, and Unintentional Firearm Deaths in the Home

Abstract

FIREARM VIOLENCE Risk of Suicide, Homicide, and Unintentional Firearm Deaths in the HomePersonal protection is a frequently cited reason for firearm ownership.1 However, access to firearms in the home has been associated with an increased risk of death from suicide and homicide among household members. 2 In 1986, Kellermann and Reay 3 reviewed all the gunshot deaths in King County, Washington, from 1978 to 1983, including 398 that occurred in the residence where the firearm was kept.They found that for every self-protection homicide involving a firearm kept in the home, there were 1.3 accidental deaths, 4.6 criminal homicides, and 37 suicides involving firearms.We sought to update this study, using King County data from 2011 to 2018. Methods |The study was a population-based case series of firearm deaths in homes in King County, Washington, from 2011 to 2018 (population 2 233 163 in 2018).4 We used King County Medical Examiner's Office (KCMEO) records and linked these records to the Washington Office of the Attorney General Homicide Investigation Tracking System (HITS) for homicides.Cases were excluded if the incident did not occur in a home, occurred outside of King County, occurred more than 1 year prior to death, or if the person was shot by the police.The eMethods in the Supplement provide details on case linking and definitions.We categorized deaths as suicide, criminal homicide, selfdefense homicide, unintentional death, or undetermined based on KCMEO and HITS records (eMethods in the Supplement).1307 Firearm deaths reported by King County Medical Examiner's Office, 2011-2018 647 Firearm deaths analyzed 660 Excluded 107 Incident outside King County 484 Incident outside the home 12 Firearm injury not cause of death 57 Decedent shot by police 8

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