Primary Funding Source: Seattle City Council and University of Washington Royalty Research Fund.
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Seventy percent of homicides and 10% of nonfatal violent crimes in the United States are related to firearms (1–3). There are 40 times as many nonfatal firearm-related crimes as there are firearm-related deaths, and 23% of victims of such crimes sustain an injury (3). Of those with nonfatal firearm-related injuries that receive medical attention in the emergency department, an estimated 30% to 60% are hospitalized, depending on the injury intent (4). Overall, firearm-related hospitalizations (FRHs) are associated with substantial physical and psychological morbidity as well as societal cost (5–7).