A new report by the Washtenaw County Health Department shows an overall increase in firearm death rates in the last five years but a drop for 2024.
The report analyzes data from the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner's Office. It includes firearm deaths for county residents and non-residents.
Washtenaw County Health Department medical director Juan Marquez says fewer deaths by firearms in 2024 reflect the lowest year for gun violence deaths since 2019. He attributes this in part to the pandemic.
“You know, we're now going back to more of our routine patterns. We think that that probably plays a role, in addition to an increased focus just in the community on mental health but also a lot of community violence interventions.”
From 2015 to 2024, 70% of firearm deaths in the county were suicides while 30% were homicides.
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