FACT SHEET: Gun Violence in Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities
Gun Violence in AAPI Communities
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities are not usually seen as impacted by mass shootings, but recent high-profile incidents in AAPI communities and anti-Asian racism during the COVID-10 pandemic have forced our AAPI communities to confront gun violence in an unprecedented way.
While any gun death is devastating, AAPI deaths resulting from gun violence are historically lower than other groups:
59% of AAPI gun-related deaths are suicide; 37% are homicides.
AAPI youth have seen a 71% increase in firearm suicide over the last decade.
From 2018 to 2022, the Asian American gun death rate increased by 9.5%. Following the same trend, the gun homicide rate increased by 11.8% and the gun suicide rate increased by 10.8%.
Anti-Asian hate sentiments during the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed AAPI gun ownership trends.
Gun sales to Asian Americans increased by an estimated 43% in the first half of 2020. Accordingly, among Asian American individuals who purchased a gun at the start of the pandemic, 54.6% were first-time gun owners.
Regression analyses showed that Asian Americans who experienced racial discrimination were more likely to purchase a gun and ammunition, and intended to purchase more ammunition during the pandemic.
Asian Americans who perceived more cultural racism were more likely to purchase a gun.
Gun Violence Prevention is a Top Issue for AAPIs
Nearly half of AAPI adults (45%) worry about being a victim of gun violence from a survey of AAPIs in California, compared to 30% for the overall population.
57% of Asian parents are concerned about their children being killed by gun violence, a stark contrast to 33% of white parents.
In a 2023 poll conducted among Virginia AAPI voters, 70% said they would support a state legislator who would enact universal background checks.
In a 2022 survey of AAPI voters, more than 70% supported stricter gun laws. 90% of AAPI voters said gun control motivated them to vote in 2022.
What’s Been Done?
The AAPI Victory Alliance has been focused on building capacity and mobilizing communities to address this pressing community issue.
We led a Corporate Accountability Campaign petitioning Wells Fargo to stop financing the gun industry
We helped form the AAPI Against Gun Violence Coalition, and together organized the first national convening of AAPI advocates combating gun violence in 2022 in Los Angeles.
Since then, we have collaborated with groups like Newtown Action Alliance, Moms Rising, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and Hope and Heal Fund to host the Annual Convention for AAPI Against Gun Violence Coalition in 2023 and 2024.
These convenings allow advocates to share knowledge, and ensure that AAPI survivor stories are added to the narrative about gun violence.
Call to Action
We need federal agencies to take action:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should investigate the marketing practices of the gun industry.
The U.S. Department of Justice should look into whether mass shootings like those in Allen, Texas, are better categorized as hate crimes.
We need to continue to disaggregate data on gun violence:
The Samoan total gun death rate is nearly three times the AAPI total gun death rate. This rate is higher than any AAPI ethnic group when data is disaggregated.
Data shows that Pacific Islander groups have higher total gun death rates, gun homicide rates, and firearm suicide rates than other Asian ethnic subgroups.
South and Southeast Asians also experience higher rates of gun violence than AAPIs as a whole.
AAPI communities need more mental health resources and access, including in-language resources.
AAPIs have the lowest help-seeking rate of any racial/ethnic group, with only 23.3% of AAPI adults with a mental illness receiving treatment in 2019.
In a survey of AAPIs in California, 1 in 4 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults and 1 in 6 Asian American adults report a need for mental health support. Nearly half (42%) of NHPI adults and one-third (31%) report difficulties accessing this care.
We need to fund AAPI-centered research to understand the underlying factors that are driving recent increases in suicide among AAPI community members.
Updated June 2024