As of October 10, 2026, Philadelphia police data show 556 shooting victims this year, 115 of them fatal, which is 27% fewer than at the same point in 2025. A mass shooting in Erie on October 9 killed eight people before the shooter died, and Pennsylvania averages about 1,756 gun deaths a year, 60% of them suicides.
Shooting Statistics in Pennsylvania 2026 – Introduction
Shooting statistics in Pennsylvania in 2026 point in two directions at once. Philadelphia, the state’s largest city, is on pace for its lowest homicide total since the 1960s, and shooting victims there have fallen about 76% from the 2021 peak. Then on the evening of October 9, a gunman killed eight people in a home in Erie, a reminder that mass violence can strike any community in a year of falling averages. Police confirmed the details at a news conference on October 10.
This report uses only confirmed figures from police departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Gun Violence Archive, and named news organizations. Each table lists its source and reporting date. Counts change daily, so the Philadelphia and Erie numbers reflect the latest available on October 10, 2026. The Pittsburgh figures date from August, the most recent public tally found. Where a number is our own calculation, the report says so.
Interesting Facts about Shooting Statistics in Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA SHOOTING SNAPSHOT, OCTOBER 10 2026
PHILADELPHIA SHOOTING VICTIMS 2026 (YTD) ████████████████ 556
PHILADELPHIA SAME POINT IN 2025 █████████████████████████████ 765
ERIE VICTIMS KILLED OCT 9 ████ 8| Fact | Latest Data |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia shooting victims, 2026 (through Oct. 8) | 556 (115 fatal, 441 nonfatal) |
| Change from same point in 2025 | -27% (765 in 2025) |
| Philadelphia homicides, 2026 (through Oct. 9) | 133, down 22% from 171 |
| Erie mass shooting (Oct. 9) | 8 killed; the shooter also died |
| Average Pennsylvania gun deaths per year (2021-2025) | 1,756 |
| Share of Pennsylvania gun deaths that are suicides | 60% |
| Share of Pennsylvania homicides involving a gun | 76% |
| Annual societal cost of gun violence in Pennsylvania | $21.7 billion |
| US mass shootings in 2026 (Gun Violence Archive, Oct. 8) | 365 |
The Philadelphia numbers show how far the city has come. The 556 victims through October 8 compare with 2,332 in all of 2021. If the 2026 pace holds, the year would end near 720 victims, a figure that is our projection from the daily average, not an official forecast. Homicides tell the same story, with 133 through October 9 against 562 in 2021. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel’s department says the city is on track for fewer than 200 homicides for the first time since the 1960s.
The Erie shooting does not change that trend, but it stands apart. The Gun Violence Archive’s most recent previous Pennsylvania mass shootings came in July in Philadelphia, according to Reuters. Mass shootings account for only about 3.2% of US shooting deaths this year, per The Trace’s analysis of Gun Violence Archive data. Most gun deaths in Pennsylvania are suicides, a point the state data below make clear.
Erie Mass Shooting on October 9, 2026
ERIE VICTIMS BY GROUP (8 KILLED, PER POLICE)
WOMEN (ONE EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT) ████████████████████████████████████████ 4
YOUNG MEN ████████████████████ 2
CHILDREN ████████████████████ 2
| Detail | Confirmed Information |
|---|---|
| Date and place | October 9, 2026, 700 block of Perry Street, Erie |
| Alert | ShotSpotter alert at about 4:53 p.m. |
| People killed | 8, plus the shooter |
| Victims | 4 women, 2 young men, 2 children (ages 1 to 51) |
| Shooter | 45-year-old man, died of an apparent self-inflicted wound |
| Relationship | Related to 7 of the 8 victims; the eighth was a family friend |
| Where victims were found | 6 inside the home, 2 women outside |
| Motive | Not yet established |
Data Source: Erie Police Department news conference of October 10, 2026, as reported by Reuters, the Associated Press, ABC News, NBC News, and CBS News
Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said officers arrived within minutes of the ShotSpotter alert, and all of the deaths occurred before they got there. They found the shooter on the second floor. The six victims inside the home lived there. Two women found outside did not. Lorah said the gun was registered to the suspect and called the scene the worst of his career. Police have not released names, and he said investigators will interview other relatives and examine the cellphones of the two women killed outside.
Gov. Josh Shapiro said he spoke with Erie Mayor Daria Devlin and offered state support. Reuters notes that Shapiro pushed the General Assembly in 2024 to pass gun reforms, including universal background checks and limits on ghost guns. Reports differ slightly on how many people died, because police first said nine people had died without saying whether the shooter was included. The confirmed count is eight victims and the shooter. Authorities have not said more about a motive, and this report does not speculate.
Pennsylvania Gun Deaths and Injuries in 2026
PENNSYLVANIA GUN DEATHS BY INTENT (ANNUAL AVERAGE, 2021-2025)
SUICIDES ████████████████████████████████████████ 1,055
HOMICIDES █████████████████████████ 674
OTHER* ███ 27
*Our subtraction: 1,756 total minus suicides and homicides (includes unintentional, undetermined, legal intervention)| Metric | Pennsylvania Figure |
|---|---|
| Average gun deaths per year | 1,756 |
| Average gun injuries (nonfatal) per year | 4,020 |
| Gun suicides per year | 1,055 (60% of gun deaths) |
| Gun homicides per year | 674 (38%, including police shootings) |
| People wounded by gun assaults per year | 1,890 |
| Gun violence rate rank | 21st-highest in the US |
| Gun homicide and assault rank | 11th-highest |
| Gun suicide rank | 39th-highest |
| Cost of gun violence | $21.7 billion a year ($1,692 per resident) |
Data Source: CDC WONDER five-year average 2021-2025 and national injury data, compiled by Everytown Research, updated October 2026
Pennsylvania loses about 1,756 people to guns in an average year, and 4,020 more are wounded. Suicide is the largest category at 1,055 deaths, or 60%, while homicides account for 674, or 38%. Everytown’s October 2026 update reports that the state’s gun death rate fell 9%, with gun homicides down 25% and gun suicides up 3%. The excerpt does not state the comparison period, so treat those changes as directional.
The rankings show a split profile. Pennsylvania has the 11th-highest rate of gun homicides and gun assaults but only the 39th-highest rate of gun suicides. Overall it ranks 21st. Across the state, 76% of homicides involve a gun. Everytown puts the societal cost, which includes medical care, lost work, and quality of life, at $21.7 billion a year, or $1,692 per resident, the 33rd-highest per-person cost in the country. These are modeled estimates, not budget line items.
Philadelphia Shooting Statistics in 2026
PHILADELPHIA, THROUGH OCTOBER 8-9 (2026 VS 2025)
SHOOTING VICTIMS 2025 ████████████████████████████████████████ 765
SHOOTING VICTIMS 2026 ████████████████████████████ 556
HOMICIDES 2025 ████████████████████████ 171
HOMICIDES 2026 ██████████████████ 133
| Metric (Same Point in Year) | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shooting victims (through Oct. 8) | 765 | 556 | -27% |
| Fatal shooting victims | — | 115 | — |
| Nonfatal shooting victims | — | 441 | — |
| Homicides, all causes (through Oct. 9) | 171 | 133 | -22% |
| Fatal share of shooting victims | — | 20.7% | — |
| Victims per day (our calculation, 281 days) | — | About 2.0 | — |
Data Source: Philadelphia Police Department shooting-victim records via OpenDataPhilly; PPD Statistics Unit homicide totals
Philadelphia recorded 556 shooting victims through October 8, 27% below last year’s 765 at the same date. 115 of them died, which is 20.7%. The department’s separate homicide count, which includes killings without a gun, stands at 133 through October 9, down 22% from 171. The two measures overlap, so they should not be added. The daily average works out to about two victims, a number we calculated from 556 victims over 281 days.
The summer showed the trend. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that 23 people were shot between July 1 and July 7, nearly half the decade average for that week, which is historically among the city’s most violent. By early July, 90 people had been killed in homicides, less than a third of the total at the same point three years earlier. Mass shootings still happen: on July 12, a man was killed and four others were hurt at a party in Lawncrest, according to NBC Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Shooting Victims by Year 2021 to 2026
PHILADELPHIA SHOOTING VICTIMS BY YEAR
2021 ████████████████████████████████████████ 2,332
2022 ██████████████████████████████████████ 2,255
2023 ████████████████████████████ 1,660
2024 ██████████████████ 1,082
2025 ████████████████ 940
2026* █████████ 556 (through Oct. 8)
| Year | Shooting Victims | Homicides |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,332 | 562 |
| 2022 | 2,255 | 516 |
| 2023 | 1,660 | 410 |
| 2024 | 1,082 | 269 |
| 2025 | 940 | 222 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 556 | 133 |
Data Source: Philadelphia Police Department via OpenDataPhilly and the PPD Statistics Unit
Shooting victims fell from 2,332 in 2021 to 940 in 2025, a drop of about 60%. Through October 8 of 2026, victims are down about 76% from the 2021 full-year total, although that compares part of a year with a full one. Homicides fell from 562 to 222 over the same period. Researchers cite improved police clearance rates and community violence intervention as factors. Dan Semenza, a Rutgers criminal justice professor, points to the department’s better clearance of shootings.
The pattern matches the national picture. Cities across the country posted large homicide drops in 2025, and Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Detroit are tracking toward their lowest totals since the 1960s. For more on the national picture, see our US Homicide Statistics report. Each year’s count is a snapshot from police data that can change as records are reclassified, so exact figures may move slightly.
Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Shooting Statistics in 2026
ALLEGHENY COUNTY HOMICIDES, 2024 VS 2025
2024 ████████████████████████████████████████ 110
2025 ██████████████████████████ 73
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Allegheny County homicides, 2024 | 110 |
| Allegheny County homicides, 2025 | 73 (37 fewer) |
| Pittsburgh homicides in 2026 (mid-August) | 25 vs 20 at the same point in 2025 |
| County homicides in 2026 including the city (mid-August) | 50 |
| July 2026 homicides, county | 13 (4 inside Pittsburgh) |
| Pittsburgh police homicide clearance, 2025 | 69% (24 of 35) |
| Allegheny County police clearance, 2025 | 75% |
Data Source: KDKA-TV analysis of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Allegheny County data; Allegheny County Police; New Pittsburgh Courier
Pittsburgh is moving against the state’s biggest city. KDKA counted 25 homicides in Pittsburgh by mid-August 2026, up from 20 at the same point in 2025, and 50 across the county including the city. July was the county’s most violent month of 2026, with 13 homicides, four of them inside city limits. Officials say the rise sits above the 2025 low but far below earlier years: the county department of human services says 2026 is the second-lowest year since 2018 so far. These are the latest public counts found, and later figures may differ.
Last year set a benchmark. Allegheny County recorded 73 homicides in 2025, 37 fewer than 110 in 2024. Pittsburgh police cleared 24 of 35 city homicides, or 69%, and county police cleared 75%. The county has put more than $50 million over five years into community violence reduction grants and uses violence interrupters. County police seized 127 illegal firearms in 2025, up from 102 in 2024.
Pennsylvania Mass Shootings and the National Picture in 2026
GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE, US 2026 (DATA VERIFIED OCT. 8)
INJURIES (ALL GUN VIOLENCE) █████████████████████████████████████ 18,755
DEATHS (EXCL. SUICIDES) ██████████████████ 10,054
MASS SHOOTINGS (INCIDENTS) █ 365
| Metric | US 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| People shot and killed (excluding suicides) | 10,054 |
| People injured by gunfire | 18,755 |
| Mass shootings (4+ shot) | 365 |
| First-half deaths | 6,458 (lowest since 2015) |
| First-half injuries | 11,781 (lowest since 2015) |
| Mass shootings’ share of shooting deaths | 3.2% |
| Previous Pennsylvania mass shootings before Erie | July 2026, Philadelphia |
Data Source: Gun Violence Archive (data verified October 8, 2026); The Trace analysis of GVA data; Reuters
The Gun Violence Archive counts 10,054 people killed by gunfire this year, not including suicides, and 18,755 injured, with 365 mass shootings under its definition of four or more people shot. Through June, deaths and injuries were the lowest for any first half since 2015, The Trace reports. Mass shootings caused only 3.2% of shooting deaths. Reuters, citing the archive, says the last Pennsylvania mass shootings before Erie happened in July in Philadelphia. The archive can add or revise incidents for weeks, and it does not track suicides, which are more than half of gun deaths.
Pennsylvania’s own numbers stay modest next to the national trend until events like Erie. Our Fatal Shooting Statistics in US report compares fatal shootings state by state. Erie shows why averages alone mislead: one evening added eight deaths in a city that rarely appears in mass-shooting data. Counts from other trackers differ, since some use wider definitions, so the 365 figure should be read as the Gun Violence Archive’s count only.
Pennsylvania Gun Laws and Violence Prevention in 2026
PENNSYLVANIA POLICY MARKERS
GUN VIOLENCE COST (BILLIONS $) ██████████████████████ 21.7
COUNTY VIOLENCE-REDUCTION FUNDING ($M, 5 YR) ███████████████ 50+| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual societal cost of gun violence | $21.7 billion |
| Cost per Pennsylvania resident | $1,692 |
| Allegheny County violence-reduction commitment | More than $50 million over 5 years |
| Reforms Gov. Shapiro urged in 2024 | Universal background checks, ghost gun limits |
| Other 2026 context | Philadelphia homicides on pace for lowest since the 1960s |
Data Source: Everytown Research, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Reuters
Pennsylvania’s policy debate runs on two tracks. Shapiro has urged lawmakers since 2024 to pass universal background checks and restrictions on untraceable ghost guns, as Reuters notes. Counties and cities have focused on community violence intervention, which county officials credit for the drop in Pittsburgh-area homicides in 2025. The state’s $21.7 billion annual cost estimate gives context for that spending. Whether the Erie shooting changes the legislative debate remains an open question.
National laws also shape what Pennsylvania can do. Our Gun Ban Statistics in US report lists which states have assault weapons bans, how ghost gun enforcement has changed, and where federal proposals stand. Pennsylvania is not among the states with such bans. The Erie shooter’s gun was registered to him, according to police, so the case does not involve ghost guns, and officials have said nothing about legislative changes tied to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many shootings have there been in Philadelphia in 2026?
Philadelphia police data show 556 shooting victims through October 8, 2026, including 115 fatal and 441 nonfatal. That is 27% below the 765 victims at the same point in 2025.
How many homicides has Philadelphia had in 2026?
The Philadelphia Police Department reports 133 homicides through October 9, 2026, down 22% from 171 at the same point in 2025. The count includes all homicides, not only shootings.
What happened in the Erie, Pennsylvania shooting?
On October 9, 2026, a 45-year-old man killed eight people, including two children and a pregnant woman, at a home on Perry Street in Erie, then died of an apparent self-inflicted wound, police said. He was related to seven of the victims.
Has the motive for the Erie shooting been released?
No. Erie Police Chief Rick Lorah said it is too soon to discuss motive. Police have not released the names of the victims or the shooter.
How many people die from guns in Pennsylvania each year?
An average of 1,756 people died from guns each year from 2021 to 2025, according to CDC data compiled by Everytown. About 60% were suicides and 38% were homicides.
Are shootings going down in Pennsylvania?
In Philadelphia, yes: shooting victims fell from 2,332 in 2021 to 940 in 2025 and are down 27% again in 2026. Pittsburgh is mixed, with 25 homicides by mid-August 2026 against 20 a year earlier.
How many mass shootings have there been in 2026?
The Gun Violence Archive listed 365 US mass shootings as of data verified October 8, 2026. It defines a mass shooting as four or more people shot, not counting the shooter.
How many homicides did Allegheny County have in 2025?
Allegheny County recorded 73 homicides in 2025, 37 fewer than the 110 in 2024, according to county police figures reported by the New Pittsburgh Courier.
How much does gun violence cost Pennsylvania?
Everytown estimates gun violence costs Pennsylvania $21.7 billion a year, or $1,692 per resident.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.