Gun Violence in 2024: A Year of Stark Contrasts

Gun violence prevention is an all-hands-on-deck effort. 

Active shooter incidents in the United States rose 36% in 2024, representing a new high. 

Yet, amidst these troubling statistics, there were signs of progress—especially in K-12 schools, where fatalities dropped by over 21%.

ZeroEyes’ Gun Violence Research Center’s new analysis, “The 2024 Gun Violence Report,” provides key insights into the evolving landscape of gun violence and the measures needed to strengthen public safety.

Encouraging Signs: Progress in K-12 Safety

Keeping our children safe is of the utmost importance–and we saw encouraging data on that front in 2024.

Despite an overall 66.38% rise in gun-related fatalities across all settings, there was a 21.66% decrease in fatalities within K-12 schools. 

These statistics suggest preventive measures, security enhancements, and rapid response strategies have positively impacted educational environments. 

Continued investment in early detection, drills, and AI-driven security can help sustain this positive trend.

Escalating Threats: The Rise in Active Shooter Incidents

Adaptability is one of the keys to strengthening your security system.

The number of active shooter incidents rose by 36.36% from 2023 to 2024, reflecting an alarming trend that demands continued vigilance. 

As these threats evolve, security strategies must adapt. AI-driven surveillance and real-time detection tools are increasingly critical in identifying visible threats and enabling faster responses.

What Was 2024’s Most Troubled Industry?

Everyone should feel safe when fueling up or grabbing a quick snack…

Yet gas stations emerged as the industry most affected by gun violence, with 542 recorded incidents, averaging 45 per month. The statistics are stark:

• 203 fatalities and 414 injuries were recorded.
• 27.7% of these incidents stemmed from disputes that escalated into violence.
• 86.3% of these shootings took place outside, underscoring the vulnerability of open, high-traffic areas.

These numbers indicate that improving surveillance, increasing law enforcement patrols, and deploying AI-powered threat detection in high-risk areas could help curb violence.

Hoaxes and Swattings Surge

In the wake of the Apalachee High School active shooter incident on September 4, 2024, a disturbing trend emerged in K-12 schools across the nation: the frequency of hoax and swatting incidents skyrocketed, presenting challenges for law enforcement and emergency responders. 

The stark reality of this trend is evident in the numbers:

• Pre-Apalachee incident: 63 hoax and/or swatting incidents were reported in the U.S.
• Post-Apalachee incident: 119 incidents were reported–a staggering 89% increase from before the incident. 

This dramatic uptick reveals an urgent need for advanced gun detection technology to swiftly distinguish between threats and false alarms. 

2025’s Top Force Multiplier

As threats evolve, you must adapt your strategies. Safety and security leaders are turning to technology to enhance situational awareness and threat response times. 

Traditional security cameras alone aren’t enough—and nobody can monitor them all the time. 

ZeroEyes’ AI-powered, human-verified gun detection solution helps you identify illegally brandished firearms 24/7/365 and provides ultra-fast alerts to help save time and save lives. Think of us as an extension of your team that never sleeps.

ZeroEyes Provides:

• Immediate firearm identification, with alerts to law enforcement often as quickly as 3-5 seconds. 
• Human-verified alerts from ZeroEyes’ expert analysts—all military and law enforcement veterans—to help eliminate false positives. 

Works with existing security camera systems, making deployment seamless and cost-effective.

Beyond Statistics: A Call to Action

The 2024 Gun Violence Report provides in-depth data to help agencies and organizations make informed decisions about safety measures within their departments and communities. 

What You’ll Learn in the Full Report:

• A state-by-state breakdown of gun violence hotspots. 
• The industries and locations most vulnerable to firearm-related incidents. 
• Data-backed insights on the effectiveness of proactive security measures. 
• The impact of AI-driven detection technology on reducing response times.

Download the Full 2024 Gun Violence Report

Get the full scope of gun violence trends, statistics, and actionable insights in the comprehensive report. 

Stay Ahead of Emerging Threats

With the 2024 Gun Violence Report revealing a significant rise in active shooter incidents and high-risk locations, staying ahead of threats with data-driven security measures is more crucial than ever.

ZeroEyes is committed to helping organizations take the necessary steps to protect lives, prevent gun violence, and improve response times. Download the report, explore funding options, and take action today.