Recorded Crimes and Offences Involving Firearms, Scotland, 2020-21 and 2021-22

Offences involving firearms

Tables 1, 2, 2a, 3, 4; Chart 1

In 2021-22, the police in Scotland recorded 273 offences in which a firearm was alleged to have been involved, a decrease of 23% since 2020-21. In 2020-21, the police recorded 353 offences, an increase of 4% from 2019-20. The 273 offences in 2021-22 were the lowest since records began in 1980.

In 2021-22, 26% of recorded offences involving a firearm were for Possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, commit crime etc. A further 17% of total recorded offences were for Common assault, 14% were for Breach of the peace etc. and a further 14% were for Reckless conduct with firearms.

In 2020-21, two Homicides involving a firearm were recorded, with one recorded in 2021-22. There were eight Attempted murders involving a firearm in 2020-21 and one in 2021-22.

The number of Serious assaults involving a firearm increased from two in 2020-21 to three in 2021-22. The number of robberies involving a firearm recorded in 2021-22 was 10, a decrease of 12 from 2020-21.

When air weapons and unidentified weapons are excluded, the total number of offences involving a firearm decreased by 17% between 2020-21 and 2021-22 (from 188 offences to 156 offences).

Offences relating to Possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life, commit crime etc., Breach of the peace etc., Reckless conduct and Common assault continue to account for the largest proportion of offences involving a firearm when air weapons and unidentified weapons are excluded (at 29%, 15%, 13% and 13% of offences, respectively).

The use of firearms in criminal activity continued to constitute only a small proportion of all offences recorded by the police in 2021-22, including 2.0% of Homicides (one offence), 0.6% of Robberies (10 offences) and 0.4% of Attempted Murders (one offence). Only 0.1% of all Serious and Common assaults, and less than 0.1% of Vandalism offences, involved the alleged use of a firearm. For further information please see Annex 7.