The new analysis by the Violence Policy Center is based on 2006 statistics from the CDC.
It ranks Alabama second only to Louisiana in gun deaths per capita.
By their analysis, about seventeen out of every one hundred thousand Alabama residents die by the gun.
Associate Professor Kent Kerley with UAB's Dept of Justice Sciences, points out one key reason Alabama ranks so high.
"In the southeast we have an extremely high rate of availability in terms of gun ownership and gun availability compared to some other parts of the country," said
Kent Kerley, PhD. "In some ways it's implied that there is an increased risk of guns being used, whether it be intentional or unintentional killing, due to that availability."
However, he says gun availability may play a role, but it's clearly not the only factor.
Alabama has almost twice as many guns per household as Nevada, but it ranks number five on the list.
"There are other factors including socioeconomic status of local communities, criminal opportunities which are available," said Kerley.
He says the gun death rate also factors in suicides and accidental shootings.
He thinks a federal grant to study the cause of gun death rates would be helpful, but he doubts that proposed restrictions for gun shows would significantly lower the number.
"Most of the guns involved in homicides are gained through illicit means," said Kent Kerley.
Whatever it takes, Carolyn Johnson wants to see an end to gun violence.
"Yesterday was Mother's Day and that was a really hard day for me being a mother, and not having my child with me because of gun violence,” said Carolyn Johnson.
Her son Rodrekus was 20 in 2003 when a bullet came through his windshield and ended his life.
"He would be 26 years old today if he was here. He would be a man. I want to see what he would look like. What would he be doing? Would he be married? I’ll never get to see," said Carolyn Johnson. "I would be in favor of anything stopping gun violence because it has torn my life apart. It really has."
