Homicides by firearm in Switzerland
Switzerland: Homicides by firearm was 12 homicides in 2023. ▼ Falling
Homicides by firearm in Switzerland, 2009–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
In 2023, homicides by firearm in Switzerland stood at 12 homicides.
That represents a change of up 9.1% on the previous year and down 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in Switzerland peaked at 24 homicides in 2009 and was at its lowest, 7 homicides, in 2014.
Switzerland ranks 53rd of 82 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Homicides by firearm in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 24 homicides | — |
| 2010 | 13 homicides | -45.8% |
| 2011 | 22 homicides | +69.2% |
| 2012 | 13 homicides | -40.9% |
| 2013 | 18 homicides | +38.5% |
| 2014 | 7 homicides | -61.1% |
| 2015 | 17 homicides | +142.9% |
| 2016 | 16 homicides | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 14 homicides | -12.5% |
| 2018 | 13 homicides | -7.1% |
| 2019 | 11 homicides | -15.4% |
| 2020 | 9 homicides | -18.2% |
| 2021 | 8 homicides | -11.1% |
| 2022 | 11 homicides | +37.5% |
| 2023 | 12 homicides | +9.1% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 12 homicides is below the median for high income countries, which is 17 homicides, 71% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 12 homicides is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14.5 homicides, 83% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24 homicides | 24 homicides | 24 homicides | 1 |
| 2010s | 14.4 homicides | 7 homicides | 22 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 10 homicides | 8 homicides | 12 homicides | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More social development data for Switzerland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 208,287 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0229 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides by firearm in Switzerland?
- Homicides by firearm in Switzerland was 12 homicides in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides by firearm recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 24 homicides in 2009.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 7 homicides in 2014.
- How does Switzerland rank for homicides by firearm?
- Switzerland ranks 53rd out of 82 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.