Types of guns used in homicides
Firearm possession offences, where the firearm has not been used in the course of another offence, are not included in this analysis. "Offences involving firearms" encompass any notifiable offence¹ recorded by the police where a firearm has been fired, used as a blunt instrument or used as a threat. Equivalent figures, covering a more recent period, are published as part of the quarterly Crime in England and Wales bulletin. In line with previous years, the weapons appendix table file accompanying this article also includes figures for offences involving knives and sharp instruments. However, this article provides more detail about the nature and circumstances of firearm offences than the regular quarterly bulletin. Headline figures for these offences, covering a more recent period, are published as part of the quarterly Crime in England and Wales bulletin. The data presented in this article are based on information supplied by police forces in England and Wales on the number of recorded offences that involved a firearm. How are firearm offences defined and measured?
Most victims of offences involving firearms were in younger age groups, with 56% aged between 15 and 34 years this is more than twice the proportion this age group made up in the total population of England and Wales (25%).Ģ. Of all offences involving a firearm, the weapon was fired in around half (51%) of cases, and in most other cases it was used as a threat (47%).Īs in previous years, offences involving firearms were disproportionately concentrated in urban areas, with almost 6 in 10 offences (58%) recorded in five metropolitan Police Force Areas (Metropolitan Police, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside). There were 33 fatalities resulting from offences involving firearms this is three more than the previous year.
The 9,787 offences recorded in the latest year was less than half (59% lower than) the level recorded at its peak in the year ending March 2004 (24,094 offences). The number of offences has increased by just over a quarter (27%) compared with five years ago, primarily driven by non-air weapon offences, but the latest rise indicates a slowing in the rate of increase and levelling-off in the trend over the last two years.
In the year ending March 2019, there were 9,787 offences in which firearms were involved this is a 4% increase compared with the previous year.