Maine Shooting Marks 565 Mass Incidents So Far This Year

The mass shooting in Maine that took the lives of 18 people and injured 13 was the 565th mass shooting in the U.S. this year. It was also the deadliest. On top of the terror during the rampage on Wednesday night, Lewiston and surrounding communities remain frozen in fear as the manhunt for the shooter continues.

In 2023, we've seen an average of 1.9 mass shooting incidents every single day, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive (GVA).¹ If that pace continues, 2023 is on track to see 693 mass shootings—the most in one year since we've been covering gun violence and the most of any year, according to the GVA.

So far this year, there have been over 35,000 gun violence-related deaths nationwide, with 603 of them occurring in mass shooting incidents. This year, there has been an average of 1.9 mass shootings per day, a slight increase from the previous year's average of 1.7 per day, potentially leading to a 7% rise in mass shooting incidents. Despite this, there might be a 3% decrease in gun-related deaths year over year if the current pace continues.

The U.S. has been experiencing an increase in concern about gun violence and mass shootings, with 47% of our 2022 State of Safety survey respondents expressing worry—up from 36% the previous year. Concern related to guns is complicated and fueled by various factors, including fears of gun rights being threatened and ongoing reports of gun incidents in the news.

One alarming trend is the increasing proximity of gun incidents to people's homes, with more individuals reporting hearing gunshots in their neighborhoods. I've had three personal experiences with gunshots near my home or a friend's home in the past 12 months—one took out a living room window.

Personal experiences with gun violence incidents have risen by 50% year over year, with nearly half of Americans worried about becoming victims themselves. And almost 90% of survey comments mentioning guns or gun violence expressed anxiety or fear.

When it comes to concern about gun violence, Louisiana tops the list, with 75% of residents highly concerned. Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina reported the most personal experiences with gun violence in 2021.

Interestingly, our survey found that some Americans who were previously anti-gun are now embracing firearms for personal protection. Gun sales have been growing, especially among women and people of color. In 2020, between 20% and 40% of gun purchases were made by first-time gun owners.

Overall, while there has been a decrease in some aspects of gun violence since 2021, the issue remains a significant concern in the United States, with mass shootings and gun-related deaths continuing to be a pressing problem.

• Gun Violence: How Worried Are Americans?
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1. Gun Violence Archive. Accessed October 27, 2023.