NCDHHS | NC Injury and Violence Prevention Branch
NC Violent Death Reporting System
VIOLENT DEATH IN NORTH CAROLINA:
BUNCOMBE COUNTY INCIDENTS, 2011-2020
The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) is a CDC-funded statewide surveillance system that
collects detailed information on violent deaths that occur in North Carolina, including: homicide, suicide, unintentional
firearm deaths, legal intervention, and deaths of undetermined intent. NC-VDRS triangulates information from death
certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement reports to understand and aid in the prevention of violent
deaths. Data reported in this document are based on the county where the death occurred rather than county of
residence1. For more information, please visit https://www.iniurvfreenc.ncdhhs.gov/About/ncVDRS.htm.
■The occurrent ratio is used instead of the rate. This statistic is derived from the total number of violent deaths resulting from injuries in a specified geographic region
divided by the number of residents in the region.
Manner of Death: Buncombe County, NC:
NC-VDRS, 2011-2020*
Suicide
Homicide
77%
19%
• Forthe years 2011-2020, there were 635
violent deaths from injuries sustained in
Buncombe County. Of these 635 deaths, 612
were NC residents (96.4%) and 578 were
Buncombe County residents (91.0%).
Unintentional Firearm
| 1%
Legal Intervention
| 1%
Undetermined Intent
| 4%
0% 20% 40% 60%
'Based on the county of injury occurrence.
• There were 486 suicides (76.5%), 118
homicides (18.6%), six unintentional
firearm deaths (0.9%), four deaths from
legal intervention (0.6%), and 21 deaths
of undetermined intent (3.3%).
80% 100%
Manner of Death by Sex: Buncombe County, NC:
NC-VDRS, 2011-2020*
• In Buncombe County, the suicide ratio was
3.1 times higher in malesthan in females, and
the homicide ratio was 2.7 times higher in
males than in females.
Suicide
Manner of Death by Race/Ethnicity: Buncombe County, NC:
NC-VDRS, 2011-2020*
Rate* ■ Hispanic ■ White NH ■ Black NH ■ American Indian ■ Asian NH
40.0 35.2
Suicide Homicide All Violent Deaths
Homicide All Violent Deaths
'Rate per 100,000 based on the county
of injury occurrence.
• The suicide rate was highest for non-
Hispanic (NH) white victims (23.4
suicides per 100,000 population)
followed by Hispanic victims (9.3 per
100,000).
• In contrast, the homicide rate was
highest among NH Black victims (25.2
per 100,000 population) followed by
Hispanic victims (3.6 per 100,000).
'Rate per 100,000 based on the county of injury occurrence. + Rate suppresed, 1-4 deaths.
Chart excludes zero deaths of unknown or other race/ethnicity.
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