According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WONDER database, which collects mortality information from death certificates at the state level, firearms were indeed the leading cause of death for members of Generation Z in 2023, the most recent year with available data. That year 11,368 zoomers, people who were born between 1997 and 2012, were killed by firearms — more than died from overdoses, car accidents, and cancer.
Gen Z also appears to be the only generation to experience gun violence as the leading cause of death. Twenty years ago, the top cause of death for people of similar ages to Gen Z, 11 to 26 years old, was car accidents, according to the CDC.
Dr. Elyse Thulin recently spoke with The Trace about which generations are most affected by firearm violence, noting that the advancement of technology has played a role in youth-involved firearm deaths.
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