While urban centers are often thought of as the leading settings of gun violence, a new mapping report by grantee Hope and Heal Fund, produced in partnership with RomoGIS Enterprises, reveals that two-thirds of California’s gun homicides during 2014-2022 occurred outside urban settings and California’s most populated cities.

Using the California Gun Homicides 2014-2022 Dashboard, users can explore gun violence data by county, neighborhood, and street. The mapping dashboard is intended to help communities use real-time and accurate gun violence data to advance strategies to keep neighborhoods safe.

The data and mapping effort shows that the top counties experiencing high rates of gun homicides per capita include Trinity, Modoc, San Joaquin, and Monterey. These findings underscore the need to extend support beyond urban centers and address the rising rates of gun violence in rural, semi-rural, and suburban areas.

“One important finding from the data is the need to separate and examine different types of gun homicides, particularly those related to intimate partner violence,” shared Cuco Rodriguez, Hope and Heal Fund’s Chief Strategist and Equity Officer. “Currently, general homicide data from law enforcement agencies often overlook the impact and frequency of intimate partner homicides, leading to misconceptions about the primary drivers of gun violence.”

To learn more about gun violence data, visit Hope and Heal Fund’s California Gun Homicides GIS Mapping Report or contact Diana Guardado, Hope and Heal Fund’s Communications Manager, at [email protected].

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