For Release: Monday, July 30, 2007
Washington, D.C.–The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released Drive-By America, a first-of-its kind national analysis of drive-by shootings. The study tallied news stories from the 50 states and the District of Columbia from July through December 2006 to identify data and trends associated with drive-by shootings, including the number of incidents by state, the number of victims killed and injured, as well as time of day and location. Findings of the study include:
- During the six-month period covered in the report, 549 drive-by shooting incidents were reported, claiming 156 lives and injuring 465 individuals.
- California led the nation in the number of drive-by shootings with 115 shootings, killing 51 and injuring 123. Following California were: Florida, 57 drive-by shootings, killing 18 and injuring 47; Texas, 56 drive-by shootings, killing seven and injuring 41; Illinois, 24 drive-by shootings, killing 11 and injuring 29; and, Ohio, 20 drive-by shootings, killing three and injuring 20.
- Nearly a quarter (23 percent) of those killed or injured were under the age of 18.
- In more than half (55 percent) of the incidents, the victims were at a residence (either indoors or outdoors);
- More than one out of five (22 percent) incidents involved shooting at another vehicle;
- Nearly half (47 percent) of all drive-by shootings occurred between the hours of 7:00 PM and midnight. More than a quarter (27 percent) were between midnight and 7:00 AM.
- Drive-by shootings peaked in the month of July and continued to decline as the months turned colder.
VPC Executive Director and study co-author Josh Sugarmann states, “Drive-by gunfire is devastating families and neighborhoods. The fact that the total number of drive-by shootings that occur each day in America is most likely far higher than our report found only adds to the despair.”
About the Violence Policy Center
The Violence Policy Center is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury. Follow the VPC on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
