Gun injuries in US surged during pandemic, CDC study shows

By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — For every American killed by gunfire, an estimated two or more more survive, often with terrible injuries. Public health experts say that fact is crucial to understanding the full impact of guns on society. A new government study highlights a surge in people wounded by gunshots during the pandemic, when the number of people fatally shooting each other – and themselves — also increased. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a study published Thursday that the number of people injured by gunfire rose 40% during the first two years of the COVID-19 outbreak, compared with 2019. In 2022, gunshot injuries were 20% higher than before the pandemic.