87% Increase in Gun Deaths – 2020 v. 2019

While gun sales surge beyond all previous years and gun deaths already topping the previous six years, leadership at the Rhode Island General Assembly has once again refused to take up evidence-backed, common-sense gun safety reforms to protect our communities.

RI Gun Incidents 2014 to 2020

Source: Gun Violence Archive

YearTotal IncidentsKilledInjuredTotal CasualtiesNo Deaths/Injuries
202013028558347
201912815445969
2018213177794119
201718911799099
20162331486100133
20152201488102118
201414717718859

Gun Safety Reforms Ignored by RI House and Senate Leadership

Our gun safety champions in both chambers constitute a majority, which would enable the passage of these sensible safety reforms if leadership would move them out of committee and to the floors for debate and up or down votes.

Safe Storage
Senate Bill 2593/House Bill 7720

Age to Legally Possess/Purchase Firearms
Senate Bill 7327

Firearm Straw Buyer
Senate Bill 2595/House Bill 7633

High Capacity Magazines
Senate Bill 2130

Military-Style Assault Weapons
Senate Bill 2131/House Bill 7264

Concealed Carry in K-12 Schools
Senate Bill 2592/House Bill 7715

Deeper Dive Reveals Many More Incidents

The media generally reports incidents involving firearms when someone has been shot. However, the latest Uniform Crime Report (UCR), administered by the RI State Police, reported 276 “Arrestee Armed With” Firearm incidents in 2018 throughout the state.

A Statewide Concern

The UCR breakdown of locations in table below dispells the notion that gun violence is only a problem in Providence.

This data excludes incidents that do not result in an arrest, such as a report of “shots fired” or someone brandishing a gun who then leaves the scene.

"Arrestee Armed With" Firearms by RI Location

The count below is for 2018 and includes arrests that included any type of firearm, as reported in the 2019 Uniform Crime Report: Crime in Rhode Island.

Arrest LocationIncidents
Barrington2
Bristol2
Burrillville11
Central Falls2
Charlestown1
Coventry5
Cranston11
Cumberland1
East Greenwich3
East Providence3
Foster0
Glocester3
Hopkinton1
Jamestown1
Johnston6
Lincoln4
Little Compton0
Middletown0
Narragansett0
Newport5
North Kingstown2
North Providence6
North Smithfield4
Pawtucket27
Portsmouth0
Providence72
Richmond2
Scituate1
Smithfield0
South Kingstown4
Tiverton3
Warren2
Warwick12
West Greenwich0
West Warwick2
Westerly3
Woonsocket27
TF Green Airport2
Brown Univ0
DEM5
State Police Chepachet2
State Police Headquarters20
State Police Hope Valley5
State Police Lincoln8
State Police Portsmouth0
State Police Wickford5
URI1