An official website of the United States government. Here's how you know
Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock () or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Federal Bureau of Investigation

Expanded Homicide Data Table 11

Murder Circumstances

by Weapon, 2012

Circumstances Total
murder
victims		 Total
firearms		 Handguns Rifles Shotguns Other
guns or
type not
stated		 Knives or
cutting
instruments		 Blunt
objects
(clubs,
hammers,
etc.)		 Personal
weapons
(hands,
fists, feet,
etc.)		 Poison Pushed
or
thrown
out
window		 Explosives Fire Narcotics Drowning Strangulation Asphyxiation Other
Total 12,765 8,855 6,371 322 303 1,859 1,589 518 674 12 4 8 85 35 13 89 105 778
Felony type total: 1,841 1,324 976 76 47 225 164 91 61 1 1 4 39 18 0 20 19 99
Rape 15 3 2 0 1 0 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0
Robbery 652 505 404 16 23 62 53 41 23 0 1 0 1 0 0 5 4 19
Burglary 92 54 31 3 4 16 18 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 8
Larceny-theft 14 3 2 0 0 1 5 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2
Motor vehicle theft 22 10 4 0 1 5 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4
Arson 32 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 22 0 0 0 1 4
Prostitution and commercialized vice 6 3 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Other sex offenses 10 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 1
Narcotic drug laws 362 311 240 12 4 55 13 9 7 0 0 0 0 15 0 1 2 4
Gambling 7 6 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Othernot specified 629 427 283 45 13 86 65 25 20 1 0 2 15 3 0 6 8 57
Suspected felony type 137 113 104 2 0 7 6 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 7
Other than felony type total: 6,205 3,980 3,020 158 178 624 1,004 275 472 6 3 1 21 11 9 48 58 317
Romantic triangle 95 63 45 4 8 6 23 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3
Child killed by babysitter 26 2 2 0 0 0 1 4 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 7
Brawl due to influence of alcohol 82 36 29 1 1 5 11 3 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 9
Brawl due to influence of narcotics 58 33 25 2 1 5 6 1 6 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 8
Argument over money or property 148 98 71 6 4 17 29 5 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 4
Other arguments 3,085 1,801 1,383 71 96 251 714 151 219 0 1 1 12 1 2 25 23 135
Gangland killings 151 135 101 4 5 25 12 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1
Juvenile gang killings 720 687 570 15 5 97 24 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
Institutional killings 13 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 2 3
Sniper attack 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Othernot specified 1,826 1,124 793 55 58 218 183 106 202 5 2 0 7 8 7 16 21 145
Unknown 4,582 3,438 2,271 86 78 1,003 415 146 139 5 0 3 25 6 4 19 27 355