As an American, you can’t ignore the constant damage gun violence does to our communities. It’s not just about the mass shootings that blow up the news feeds. This is an everyday thing that just chips away at our sense of safety.
Let’s be real about the numbers. According to a Fox Live Now report, data from the non-profit Gun Violence Archive shows that from January 1st to October 14th, 2025 alone, there have been 340 mass shootings in the U.S. (where at least four people were shot, not including the shooter). And just in 2024, over 41,000 people in this country died from gun violence.
It gets to you mentally, too. A nationwide survey by the Elsner Law Firm, cited by the charity Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), found that more than half of us feel unsafe in public spaces like schools, malls, and offices. Get this—only 8.5% of people said they feel safe all the time.
But the impact goes way deeper than just stats. A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that being exposed to gun violence messes with kids’ heads, lowering their test scores and making them miss more school. It’s a vicious cycle of trauma and fear. Our schools are turning into fortresses with active shooter drills, making our kids feel like they’re growing up in a war zone. The fact that guns are everywhere has fundamentally changed who we are—it makes us more on edge and less trusting of each other. Bottom line: this is a full-blown public health crisis, and we desperately need to fix it.
