future, the mortality surveillance system will be able to provide greater details on the type of violence (e.g., whether it was interpersonal, gang-related, or self-directed) and on the victim-perpetrator relationship.

Gender

Eighty-eight percent of firearms victims are male. Although a substantially greater number of males are killed with firearms than females, similar proportions of males and females die as a result of homicide, suicide, and accidents.

Table 27: Manner of Firearm Deaths by Victim Gender
(N = 788)
  % of Male Victims % of Female Victims Total
Homicide 89% 11% 100% (N = 690)
Suicide 82% 18% 100% (N = 85)
Accident 83% 17% 100% (N = 6)
Undetermined 71% 29% 100% (N = 7)

Race

Table 28: Manner of Firearm Deaths by Victim Race
N = 783
  Asian Black Coloured White
Number
of
cases		 % killed
with
firearms		 Number
of
cases		 % killed
with
firearms		 Number
of
cases		 % killed
with
firearms		 Number
of
cases		 % killed
with
firearms
Homicide 11 92% 500 93% 131 92% 44 47%
Suicide 0 0 26 5% 10 7% 48 52%
Accident 0 0 6 1% 0 0 0 0
Undetermined 1 8% 4 1% 1 1% 1 1%
Total 12 100% 536 100% 142 100% 93 100%

The manner of firearm deaths vary across the different race groups. The results for Asians should be viewed with caution due to the low number of cases. For Asians, Blacks and Coloureds, over 90% of firearm deaths occur as a result of homicide. Only a small proportion of suicides with a firearm are found in these groups. For Whites, less than half of all firearm deaths are due to homicide, the greatest proportion of deaths resulting instead from suicide. Accidental deaths with a firearm are only reported for the Black race group.

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