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Moonshot 50 in 10

What is the “moonshot” goal and the movement behind it?

Axon is convening a diverse coalition of individuals and entities with the drive and ability to help cut gun-related deaths between police and the public in half by 2033. We encourage anyone with relevant insight, expertise and influence to join the movement, including leaders in the law enforcement profession; tacticians and trainers, community members, leaders and organizations; elected officials; and other partners and organizations.

How can supporters get involved and make an impact?

Through a shared commitment to research, dialogue, innovation and implementation, we believe we can all develop realistic, evidence-based, equitable solutions to cut gun-related deaths between police and the public — and ultimately become greater than the sum of our parts to achieve the moonshot goal. We don't yet have all the final answers or actions, so to support this mission, Axon will convene ongoing research-guided roundtables to facilitate open discussions, perspective-sharing and ideation. Coupled with learnings from the database, we'll continue to share and amplify resulting ideas in a way that meaningfully adds to the public discourse on these issues, and ultimately brings about tangible solutions that can be measured and published. Those interested in joining the movement can contact us or email moonshot@axon.com.

How will progress be measured and tracked?

Axon has enlisted the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), a private nonprofit research organization, to track gun-related deaths between police and the public in the U.S. The Axon Public Safety Gun Fatality Database is available here and is presented and paid for by Axon, in collaboration with IIR. Data from 2022 serves as the baseline number. The database dashboard will be updated bi-annually and be used to measure progress and inform solutions.

Why is Axon well positioned to organize supporters around this goal?

This is a complex issue with many facets that will require commitment, change and solutions from all angles. We believe Axon is uniquely situated to drive improvement through our product ecosystem of TASER energy weapons, body cameras and VR training and software. And we remain committed to investing in better technology, training and data for public safety. Axon was founded in 1993 with a vision to obsolete the bullet and a mission to Protect Life. Since then, we have strived to break the historical link between injuries and weapons by emphasizing less-harmful and less-lethal product development. It is estimated that TASER energy weapons alone have saved more than 270,000 lives from potential death or serious bodily injury to date.

Axon Public Safety Gun Fatality Database

How was this database developed?

The strategy and construction of the database was a joint effort between Axon and IIR. Axon is funding IIR’s work, and IIR has been thoroughly researching, collecting, and analyzing detailed public information related to each incident.

What are some limitations of the data?

In some cases, comprehensive information is not available if an incident is part of an ongoing investigation. Additionally, because this is the first time many of these contributing factors are being compiled, there are still variables where the information is unknown, but may be updated later as researchers uncover new data. You can read more about our methodology <here>.

What are some limitations of the data?

How often is the database updated?

The database will be updated bi-annually.

What are some limitations of the data?

How is this different than other databases out there?

There are several impressive databases out there, which we looked to before we began this undertaking to ensure we could contribute meaningfully to the issue without redundancy. One important factor in its creation was sustainability; because this is a decade-long focus for us, we wanted to ensure that data would be consistently tracked for the foreseeable future. Beyond that, the Axon Public Safety Gun Fatality Report brings together both officer and civilian data, which previously was unavailable in a centralized way. Additionally, certain variables in the data set have not been collected in other data sets, such as the presence of a TASER device or body camera.

The database currently includes an initial set of variables, and in the next six months we’ll add a deeper set of variables not available elsewhere, including officer experience level, subject’s criminal history, and other information like distance of the incident to a hospital. We believe the comprehensive set of metrics will provide relevant information to help us better understand each incident, particularly in ways that are relevant to Axon’s ability to develop solutions.

I have a technical question or correction about the data. Is there a place where I can send questions or comments?

For questions related to definitions, methodology or specific incidents reflected in the data, you can contact IIR at IIRMoonshotResearch@iir.com.

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Moonshot 50 in 10

Axon Public Safety Gun Fatality Database

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