Expanded Homicide Data Table 8

Murder Victims
by Weapon, 2005–2009

Weapons	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Total	14,965	15,087	14,916	14,224	13,636
Total firearms:	10,158	10,225	10,129	9,528	9,146
Handguns	7,565	7,836	7,398	6,800	6,452
Rifles	445	438	453	380	348
Shotguns	522	490	457	442	418
Other guns	138	107	116	81	94
Firearms, type not stated	1,488	1,354	1,705	1,825	1,834
Knives or cutting instruments	1,920	1,830	1,817	1,888	1,825
Blunt objects (clubs, hammers, etc.)	608	618	647	603	611
Personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.)¹	905	841	869	875	801
Poison	9	12	10	9	6
Explosives	2	1	1	11	2
Fire	125	117	131	85	99
Narcotics	46	48	52	34	45
Drowning	20	12	12	16	8
Strangulation	118	137	134	89	121
Asphyxiation	96	106	109	87	77
Other weapons or weapons not stated	958	1,140	1,005	999	895