Monday, August 27, 2018

The Mass Shooting Map of America


When I last posted a link to Vox's Mass Shootings Since Sandy Hook Map (in May) there had been 101 mass shootings in the US in 2018. There has now been 235 mass shooting incidents this year and an incredible 1,822 mass shootings since Sandy Hook.

The Vox map uses data from the Gun Violence Archive, who collect data on gun-related violence in the US. The Gun Violence Archive has a Charts and Maps section which includes a number of static maps of their gun violence data. This includes a map of all 9,535 people killed by guns in the United States so far this year. In 2017 there were 15,637 people killed by guns.


The New York Times reports that on an average day 96 Americans die after being shot by firearms. Individual suicides and homicides don't get as much news coverage as mass shootings but they still contribute a significant proportion of the total number of gun killings in the United States.

In On an Average Day, 96 Americans Die By Firearms the NYT explores some of the data behind the daily toll of gun violence. This analysis uses data from the Gun Violence Archive to illustrate the incessant routine violence perpetuated by gun owners. This includes a timeline showing the number of people injured and killed by guns every day since the start of 2014.

Since 49 people were killed at the Pulse nightclub in 2016 there have been been at least 87 shootings in just a three mile area around the club. The NYT illustrates this point with a clever interactive map. As you scroll through the article an expanding circle shows an ever increasing area around the Pulse nightclub in Florida. As the circle expands more and more shootings are revealed on the map of Orlando. By the time you get to a circle showing 14 miles around the club the number of shootings has risen to 383.

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