More Americans died in non-military shootings than in wars this century, says a report to be released today by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence.

• In fact, more Americans were killed by non-military gun violence from 1979 through 1997 (651,697) than died in all wars since 1775 (650,858), according to the report.

• About 51 percent of the gun deaths were suicides, and the vast majority of the rest were murders.

Federal statistics on total gun deaths have been kept since 1979.

Source: John Bacon, "Gun Deaths," Nationline, USA Today, December 30, 1999.