In 2023, more people were charged with weapons offenses in South Carolina than in previous years, adding to a growing trend over the past 10 years.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division reported Tuesday that the number of firearms-related charges increased 1.8% in 2023 compared to 2022. Nearly 91% of the weapons violations involved firearms, and at least 75.1% involved handguns, the report said.
“Gun law violations are increasing rapidly,” SLED Chief Mark Keel said in a press release. “The number of these violations has more than doubled in the past decade. Law enforcement continues to encounter gun-wielding offenders every day, many of whom are young.”
The number of gun violations per 10,000 people increased by 11.1 percent between 2021 and 2022. Between 2014 and 2023, the number of violations increased by 129.7 percent, with a total increase of 624.4 percent over the past 30 years, the report said.
Of the 13,687 people charged with gun possession in 2023, 11,723 were adults and 1,964 were minors.
The data shows that 8,549 of the 11,410 reports of weapons violations were resolved last year.
However, the number of violent crimes in several categories, including murder, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault, decreased in 2023 compared to 2022.
SLED’s annual crime report is compiled from crime statistics reported by state and local law enforcement agencies across the state. Of the 277 agencies, 204 — or 73 percent — reported all 12 months of crime data, while 10 agencies reported no data, the report said.
“I want to thank our law enforcement partners for submitting their data so everyone can see these trends,” Keel said. “This information helps us better understand the challenges our communities face.”
