Raise the Age to Purchase and Possess a Gun from 18 to 21

• Almost three quarters of Minnesotans support raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm.
• Gun injuries are the leading cause of death for people ages 18-20.*
• This age group commits homicide at three times the rate of people over  21.+
• More than 3,100 young people die by firearm suicide each year. This is a 53% increase over the past decade**.
• 6 of the 9 deadliest mass shootings in the United States since 2018 were committed by those under 21.***
• 22 states have set their minimum age for purchasing certain types of guns at 21.****
• Across states, this legislation makes the same case: adolescents whose brains are still maturing shouldn’t have access to deadly weapons.

Sources

*Minimum Age to Purchase. (2022, September 26). Everytown Research & Policy. https://everytownresearch.org/rankings/law/minimum-age- to-purchase/

**https://everytownresearch.org/report/the-rise-of-firearm-suicide-among-young-americans/

***https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/us/politics/mass-shootings-young-men-guns.html

****Minimum Age to Purchase. (2022, September 26). Everytown Research & Policy. https://everytownresearch.org/rankings/law/minimum-age- to-purchase/