Switzerland has a low homicide rate in comparison to Europe and a rather stable development of homicide incidents over the last 20 years. With almost half of the cases, homicides within the family or intimate partnerships constitute the most current type, whereas argument homicides and homicides in the criminal milieu are, with 17 and 16%, respectively, much less prevalent. A considerable number of offences, namely 44%, are perpetrated with a fi rearm, making firearms the most frequently-used modus operandi in Swiss homicides. Thus, Switzerland presents a much higher amount of domestic homicides as well as gunshot fatalities then most other European countries, which is most likely linked to the high prevalence of fi rearms in Swiss households.