America... loves guns

Worldwide ownership

There's no doubt that the United States loves its guns. According to the most recent comprehensive survey of gun ownership worldwide performed in 2017 by the Small Arms Survey, about 46% of all civilian owned guns in the world are in the United States. The median country has 5.4 guns per 100 people; in the US, that number is 120.5 making US the only country in the world with more guns than people.

The visualizations below illustrate that data; you can view it as a map, bar chart or sortable table.

The growth of gun ownership

It's not particularly easy to get data on gun sales - due, I suppose, to the Dickey Amendment. The FBI, though, maintains data on background checks and these are widely considered to be the best available proxy for gun purchases in the US. The bar plot below shows those gun purchases by month since 2000.

There are several pretty clear trends:

  • Gun purchases generally increased year by year until the pandemic. They've decreased a bit, since that massive spike.
  • There are seasonal trends with December being the favorite time to purchase a gun - as a give idea, I suppose.
  • There are several spikes:

Gun violence in Asheville

The map below displays incidents of gun violence in or near Asheville, NC as recorded by the Gun Violence Archive. The Gun Violence Archive started recording data in January 2014 and the data on this page runs through June 17, 2023 - when violence erupted at our Juneteenth celebration.

The Gun Violence Archive lists 327 incidents of gun violence in the Asheville area since the beginning of 2014. The map displays 313 of the incidents; the data does not list addresses for the remaining 14 incidents.

When zoomed out, the map displays the incidents as a heatmap, with regions shaded according to the number of incidents nearby. As you zoom in, the heatmap becomes more focused and ultimately resolves to individual points representing the actual locations. Once zoomed in far enough, you can hover over the points to get some information on the incidents there.

In all, there have been a total of

  • 66 victims killed,
  • 176 victims injured,
  • 5 suspects killed,
  • 9 suspects injured, and
  • 151 suspects arrested.

You can view the data for the incidents in the table below. The GVA Link points to the incident information page on the Gun Violence Archive.

DateAddressKilledInjuredSuspects KilledSuspects InjuredSuspects ArrestedGVA Link
June 17, 202380 Court Plaza02001GVA Link
May 19, 2023Patton Ave and N Ann St01000GVA Link
May 7, 202320 Davidson Dr01011GVA Link
April 2, 2023Future Dr01000GVA Link
March 6, 20231300 block of Patton Ave01001GVA Link
February 26, 202320 Lee Garden Ln20000GVA Link
February 25, 202320 Lee Garden Ln01000GVA Link
February 17, 2023645 Patton Ave01001GVA Link
February 3, 2023Black Locust Dr01001GVA Link
January 22, 20234 Busbee View Rd00000GVA Link
January 19, 2023275 Deaverview Rd01001GVA Link
January 18, 2023Southern St10001GVA Link
January 18, 2023Atkinson St01002GVA Link
January 1, 2023100 block of Atkinson St01000GVA Link
December 31, 2022100 block of New Leicester Hwy01002GVA Link
December 7, 20221 block of Granada St01000GVA Link
December 1, 202260 Lees Creek Rd00001GVA Link
November 27, 2022Riverview Dr and Amboy Rd01000GVA Link
October 14, 202220 Erwin Hills Rd00001GVA Link
September 12, 2022200 block of Deaverview Rd01001GVA Link
September 3, 2022Sulphur Springs Rd and Delaware Ave01000GVA Link
September 1, 2022Erskine Ave01000GVA Link
August 20, 202211 Grove St04000GVA Link
August 14, 2022350 block of Deaverview Rd01001GVA Link
July 22, 202220 Lee Garden Ln10000GVA Link
July 15, 2022165 S French Broad Ave11001GVA Link
July 10, 2022Spruce St and College St10001GVA Link
June 24, 20224 Stewart St01000GVA Link
June 17, 2022Old Haywood Rd10002GVA Link
June 4, 202261 Bingham Rd20000GVA Link
June 2, 20221400 block of Patton Ave01001GVA Link
May 29, 2022100 block of Atkinson St10001GVA Link
May 22, 2022S French Broad Ave01000GVA Link
May 5, 2022600 block of Charlotte Hwy01001GVA Link
April 12, 2022331 Fairfax Ave10000GVA Link
April 12, 2022400 block of Depot St01000GVA Link
March 30, 20221 Granada St11001GVA Link
March 8, 2022414 Depot St01011GVA Link
March 3, 2022Atkinson St01001GVA Link
February 9, 202201000GVA Link
January 30, 2022100 block of Spruce Hill Ln11001GVA Link
January 15, 2022100 Block of Livingston St01000GVA Link
January 9, 202250 block of W Oakview Rd01000GVA Link
January 7, 20223106 Sweeten Creek Rd00003GVA Link
November 9, 20211 Granada St01000GVA Link
October 19, 2021Grenada St01001GVA Link
October 18, 2021Azalea St10001GVA Link
September 27, 202149 Ben Lippen Rd10003GVA Link
August 11, 2021Shiloh Rd01000GVA Link
August 8, 2021Granada St01000GVA Link
July 27, 2021121 Shiloh Rd01000GVA Link
July 12, 2021251 Biltmore Ave10000GVA Link
July 3, 2021Atkinson St01000GVA Link
June 21, 2021Granada St10001GVA Link
June 18, 202100001GVA Link
June 14, 2021Hilliard Ave and Clingman Ave00000GVA Link
June 13, 2021253 Riverside Dr11002GVA Link
June 7, 2021Boone St01001GVA Link
May 29, 2021777 Haywood Rd12000GVA Link
May 28, 2021Atkinson St01000GVA Link
May 25, 2021Sand Hill Rd00000GVA Link
May 24, 2021Livingston St00001GVA Link
May 21, 2021Hendersonville Rd10000GVA Link
May 14, 2021Johnston Blvd00000GVA Link
May 14, 2021Klondyke Ave00000GVA Link
May 7, 2021Atkinson St00001GVA Link
May 5, 2021250 Overlook Rd00001GVA Link
May 2, 2021Monroe Place00000GVA Link
April 27, 2021100 Atkinson St01001GVA Link
April 16, 2021High Court Entrance01000GVA Link
April 15, 2021153 Smokey Park Hwy00100GVA Link
April 15, 2021Southern St10001GVA Link
April 15, 2021I-240 and Amboy Rd00000GVA Link
April 12, 2021Klondyke Ave00000GVA Link
April 8, 2021Atkinson St00000GVA Link
March 28, 2021Brooklyn Rd00000GVA Link
March 26, 2021Atkinson St00000GVA Link
March 9, 2021Hibernia St00000GVA Link
March 3, 2021Park Lane Ave00001GVA Link
February 28, 2021Granada St00000GVA Link
February 23, 2021Walton St00000GVA Link
February 17, 2021S French Broad Ave01001GVA Link
February 10, 2021Whispering Pines Dr00000GVA Link
January 25, 2021Westmore Dr00001GVA Link
January 24, 2021Hanover St01001GVA Link
January 19, 2021Scott St00000GVA Link
January 18, 2021Hendersonville Rd01000GVA Link
January 9, 2021Toxaway St01000GVA Link
January 4, 2021Deaverview Rd00000GVA Link
December 31, 20203 S Tunnel Rd00000GVA Link
December 9, 2020Taft Ave00000GVA Link
December 5, 2020Deaverview Rd00000GVA Link
November 28, 2020Pine Grove Ave00000GVA Link
November 28, 2020Shiloh Rd00000GVA Link
November 28, 2020600 block of Hendersonville Rd01000GVA Link
November 27, 2020Livingston St and Depot St00000GVA Link
November 26, 2020Hillendale Rd00000GVA Link
November 26, 2020482 Deaverview Rd01001GVA Link
November 20, 202000000GVA Link
November 14, 2020Atkinson St01000GVA Link
November 14, 2020Deaverview Rd00000GVA Link
November 13, 2020950 Patton Ave00000GVA Link
November 11, 2020Granada St01001GVA Link
November 7, 2020200 block of Deaverview Rd00000GVA Link
November 6, 20201 Granada St00000GVA Link
October 26, 2020Stewart St02000GVA Link
October 6, 2020Crest Ave00000GVA Link
October 5, 2020200 block of Deaverview Rd00000GVA Link
October 1, 2020Southern St00001GVA Link
September 29, 2020Livingston St03000GVA Link
September 18, 2020Chunns Cove Rd00000GVA Link
September 15, 2020Scott St01000GVA Link
September 13, 2020W Chapel Rd00000GVA Link
September 13, 2020Whispering Pines Dr00000GVA Link
September 13, 2020210 Smokey Park Hwy00000GVA Link
September 4, 2020Blue Ridge Pkwy00011GVA Link
August 20, 20201600 block of Hendersonville Rd00010GVA Link
August 18, 2020Cordova St00000GVA Link
August 5, 2020Buffalo St10000GVA Link
August 4, 2020495 Haywood Rd00000GVA Link
August 2, 202015 Future Dr00001GVA Link
July 28, 2020Virginia Ave00000GVA Link
July 27, 2020Druid Dr00000GVA Link
July 21, 2020Short Michigan Ave00001GVA Link
July 18, 2020251 Tunnel Rd00000GVA Link
July 14, 2020Cherry Willow Ln01001GVA Link
June 28, 20201100 Palisades Cir00000GVA Link
June 23, 2020570 Oakland Rd12000GVA Link
June 22, 2020570 Oakland Rd01000GVA Link
June 11, 2020100 Atkinson St03000GVA Link
June 2, 202000000GVA Link
May 18, 2020Caribou Rd00002GVA Link
May 12, 20208 Black St01001GVA Link
May 9, 2020590 Haywood Rd00000GVA Link
May 9, 20201 Granada St01000GVA Link
May 8, 2020585 Merrimon Ave20001GVA Link
April 3, 20201 Granada St11002GVA Link
March 31, 202060 Court Plaza01100GVA Link
March 28, 2020Gay St10001GVA Link
March 6, 2020100 block of Pinners Cove Rd10001GVA Link
February 28, 2020Mulberry St20000GVA Link
February 9, 2020100 Atkinson St10001GVA Link
January 29, 2020Cordova St01001GVA Link
January 18, 202026 Vermont Ave01000GVA Link
January 13, 2020Fayetteville St10001GVA Link
January 12, 2020Fayetteville St and Texas St01000GVA Link
January 5, 2020Regan Ln00000GVA Link
January 4, 2020100 Atkinson St01000GVA Link
December 26, 2019Huffman Rd01000GVA Link
October 31, 201900001GVA Link
October 12, 201972 N Market St01001GVA Link
October 5, 201911 S Grove St01000GVA Link
October 3, 2019201 Spruce Hill Ct01000GVA Link
October 2, 2019I-240 and Haywood Rd01000GVA Link
October 2, 2019Deaverveiw Rd01000GVA Link
October 2, 2019Fayetteville St and Edgar St02000GVA Link
September 19, 2019831 Old Fairview Rd00000GVA Link
September 19, 2019Brooklyn Road01000GVA Link
September 10, 2019Black St00000GVA Link
September 9, 2019Johnston Blvd01000GVA Link
September 5, 20191 Granada St01000GVA Link
September 1, 2019100 Atkinson St10001GVA Link
August 23, 2019100 Atkinson St01000GVA Link
August 7, 2019103 New Leicester Hwy 191701000GVA Link
July 24, 2019415 Deaverview Rd00001GVA Link
July 14, 201923 Ascot Point Cir01000GVA Link
July 11, 2019Reed St10001GVA Link
July 9, 2019504 Oteen Church Rd00010GVA Link
June 12, 2019275 Deaverview Rd10000GVA Link
June 10, 2019Haywood Rd00000GVA Link
June 9, 2019100 Atkinson St02006GVA Link
June 3, 2019275 Deaverview Rd00001GVA Link
May 29, 2019201 Spruce Hill Ct00005GVA Link
May 24, 2019Short Michigan Ave01000GVA Link
May 23, 2019Buffalo St and Texas St02000GVA Link
May 8, 20191 Granada St00000GVA Link
April 24, 2019Florida Ave00000GVA Link
March 27, 2019Wilmington Rd00000GVA Link
March 12, 2019I-240 and Charlotte St01000GVA Link
March 10, 201924 Klondyke Pl01000GVA Link
February 17, 2019Lexington Ave00001GVA Link
February 5, 2019509 Biltmore Ave00000GVA Link
February 4, 20191 Granada St01000GVA Link
January 11, 2019574 Haywood Rd10000GVA Link
November 27, 20188 Crowell Rd00001GVA Link
November 24, 2018275 Deaverview Rd01000GVA Link
September 28, 201800002GVA Link
September 25, 2018100 Bartlett St11000GVA Link
September 8, 2018Clingman Ave and Hilliard Ave01000GVA Link
September 6, 2018100 Atkinson St01001GVA Link
July 28, 2018487 Haywood Rd00000GVA Link
July 24, 201826 Erskine St00000GVA Link
July 22, 2018201 Spruce Hill Ct10000GVA Link
July 5, 2018250 Overlook Rd01000GVA Link
July 1, 2018Wilbar Ave11000GVA Link
June 25, 2018Short McDowell St01001GVA Link
May 26, 2018275 Deaverview Rd00001GVA Link
May 13, 201850 Wilbar Ave01000GVA Link
May 11, 2018100 Tunnel Rd00010GVA Link
April 21, 2018Wilbar Ave11000GVA Link
April 21, 2018508 Riverview Dr01000GVA Link
April 18, 201873 Hansel Ave33100GVA Link
April 13, 201832 Banks Ave01000GVA Link
April 13, 201820 Melton Dr01001GVA Link
April 11, 20181 Lodge St00001GVA Link
March 16, 201838 N French Broad Ave01000GVA Link
February 27, 2018200 block of Rock Hill Rd01100GVA Link
February 11, 201835 RC Cole Ln10001GVA Link
February 9, 2018Amboy Rd01000GVA Link
February 6, 201850 Wilbar Ave01000GVA Link
February 4, 2018100 Atkinson St01000GVA Link
February 1, 20183 S Tunnel Rd01000GVA Link
January 26, 201801000GVA Link
January 19, 20181005 Patton Ave10000GVA Link
January 12, 20188 Camby St00002GVA Link
January 11, 2018127 Bartlett St10001GVA Link
January 5, 2018Monty St01000GVA Link
January 3, 2018165 S French Broad Ave01000GVA Link
December 9, 2017275 Deaverview Rd01000GVA Link
November 13, 2017199 College St00001GVA Link
November 12, 2017Asheland Ave01000GVA Link
October 20, 2017Asheland Ave01000GVA Link
October 2, 2017Lookout Rd01001GVA Link
September 22, 2017100 Atkinson St00002GVA Link
August 25, 2017133 Oakland Rd00000GVA Link
August 25, 2017275 Deaverview Rd00004GVA Link
August 24, 2017275 Deaverview Rd01000GVA Link
August 17, 2017400 Block of Depot St00000GVA Link
July 30, 20171 Granada St10000GVA Link
July 20, 2017Bingham Road00000GVA Link
July 20, 201761 Bingham Rd00001GVA Link
July 8, 2017133 Livingston St10001GVA Link
July 8, 20171342 Patton Ave01000GVA Link
June 25, 20171 Granada St10001GVA Link
June 24, 2017Brevard Rd00001GVA Link
June 22, 20171906 River Ridge Dr01001GVA Link
June 21, 201700000GVA Link
June 15, 2017381 Brooklyn Rd01000GVA Link
June 7, 2017133 Livingston St01000GVA Link
June 3, 2017133 Livingston St02000GVA Link
May 26, 2017400 block of Haywood Road00001GVA Link
May 10, 201750 Wilbar Ave01001GVA Link
May 8, 2017133 Livingston St02000GVA Link
May 3, 20173 S Tunnel Rd00000GVA Link
April 9, 20171 Granada St02000GVA Link
March 18, 2017800 Fairview Rd00001GVA Link
March 7, 2017Pearl St00010GVA Link
February 18, 2017Fairview Rd00001GVA Link
February 9, 2017414 Depot St01002GVA Link
January 4, 2017Odonald Road01000GVA Link
December 29, 20161563 Patton Avenue01002GVA Link
December 28, 2016275 Deaverview Rd01001GVA Link
December 17, 2016White Pine Drive00002GVA Link
December 16, 20161655 Old Haywood Road10011GVA Link
December 10, 2016275 Deaverview Rd01000GVA Link
November 25, 2016Kensington Place01001GVA Link
November 10, 2016275 Deaverview Road10000GVA Link
October 27, 2016Charlie Arthur Lane01001GVA Link
October 21, 2016Starnes Cove Rd01000GVA Link
October 11, 2016300 block of Deaverview Rd00000GVA Link
September 24, 2016133 Livingston Street01000GVA Link
September 24, 2016275 Deaverview Rd.01000GVA Link
September 17, 2016Hendersonville Road03000GVA Link
September 12, 201649 Forest Ridge Dr10001GVA Link
August 28, 2016High Meadow Rd00001GVA Link
August 26, 2016Quigley Dr00001GVA Link
August 24, 201660 Court Plaza00001GVA Link
August 17, 20167 Rumbough Place00001GVA Link
August 8, 2016Overlook Court00001GVA Link
August 1, 2016Walnet Tree Ridge00001GVA Link
July 29, 2016Hendersonville Road10000GVA Link
July 17, 2016Swannanoa Avenue01000GVA Link
July 13, 20161 Granada St.01000GVA Link
July 3, 2016103 Orchard Road10000GVA Link
July 2, 2016275 Deaverview Rd00100GVA Link
June 29, 2016New Leicester Highway00000GVA Link
June 8, 2016Deaverview Road10000GVA Link
May 27, 2016100 Atkinson St.01000GVA Link
May 12, 2016Ira Jones School Road and Otarri Road11001GVA Link
April 27, 20161 Rocket Dr00001GVA Link
April 9, 2016Sweeten Creek Road01000GVA Link
March 11, 201600000GVA Link
February 26, 2016Tunnel Road near Swannanoa River Road00000GVA Link
February 16, 2016275 Deaverview Rd.10000GVA Link
January 19, 2016Wellington Drive01001GVA Link
January 18, 2016275 Deaverview Rd01000GVA Link
November 12, 2015Hanover Street00000GVA Link
October 27, 20151 Granada St30011GVA Link
October 10, 201515 Future Dr10001GVA Link
September 7, 2015Rock Hill Road02001GVA Link
August 12, 2015Camby Street00001GVA Link
June 29, 2015Granada Street01000GVA Link
June 25, 2015Sweeten Creek Road at Fairview Road01000GVA Link
June 9, 2015100 Atkinson St00002GVA Link
May 24, 20158 Sweeten Creek Rd10001GVA Link
May 13, 201560 Lees Creek Rd.00001GVA Link
May 5, 2015102 Brooklyn Road01000GVA Link
April 26, 2015275 Deaverview Rd00001GVA Link
March 24, 2015217 Fayetteville Street10000GVA Link
March 22, 2015Caribou Road01001GVA Link
March 20, 2015Atkinson Street00000GVA Link
February 23, 201510 Brook Street02000GVA Link
January 12, 201552 Virginia Avenue00000GVA Link
January 10, 2015Friendly Hollow Road00002GVA Link
December 14, 201400000GVA Link
November 25, 20142144 Hendersonville Road00000GVA Link
November 20, 2014100 Bulldog Dr01000GVA Link
November 2, 201460 Ridgelawn Avenue00002GVA Link
October 31, 2014Wilbar Avenue00000GVA Link
October 30, 201415 Future Dr01000GVA Link
August 29, 201451 Bartlett Street10001GVA Link
August 9, 201499 Merrimon Ave00000GVA Link
June 1, 201421 Palmer Street 11000GVA Link
May 10, 201400000GVA Link
April 28, 2014S Tunnel Rd00001GVA Link
April 28, 2014Tunnel Road00000GVA Link
April 28, 201400000GVA Link
April 21, 2014570 Oakland Rd01000GVA Link
April 20, 2014Walton Street01000GVA Link
April 18, 2014Sand Hill Road 01000GVA Link
April 10, 2014London Road01000GVA Link
April 3, 2014London Road01000GVA Link
March 9, 201400000GVA Link
March 8, 201400000GVA Link
March 4, 2014Depot Street00002GVA Link
January 15, 2014Aurora Vista Drive10000GVA Link
January 3, 2014Max Street 00000GVA Link