diff --git a/packages/vx-event/package.json b/packages/vx-event/package.json
index 04d22e174..8781393ae 100644
--- a/packages/vx-event/package.json
+++ b/packages/vx-event/package.json
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   "sideEffects": false,
   "main": "lib/index.js",
   "module": "esm/index.js",
+  "types": "lib/index.d.ts",
   "files": [
     "lib",
     "esm"
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
     "access": "public"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@types/react": "*",
     "@vx/point": "0.0.192"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/getXAndYFromEvent.ts b/packages/vx-event/src/getXAndYFromEvent.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c95e49d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vx-event/src/getXAndYFromEvent.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { EventType } from './types';
+import { isTouchEvent } from './typeGuards';
+
+const DEFAULT_POINT = { x: 0, y: 0 };
+
+export default function getXAndYFromEvent(event?: EventType) {
+  if (!event) return { ...DEFAULT_POINT };
+
+  if (isTouchEvent(event)) {
+    return event.changedTouches.length > 0
+      ? {
+          x: event.changedTouches[0].clientX,
+          y: event.changedTouches[0].clientX,
+        }
+      : { ...DEFAULT_POINT };
+  }
+
+  return {
+    x: event.clientX,
+    y: event.clientY,
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/index.js b/packages/vx-event/src/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vx-event/src/index.js
rename to packages/vx-event/src/index.ts
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/localPoint.js b/packages/vx-event/src/localPoint.js
deleted file mode 100644
index b4d36109e..000000000
--- a/packages/vx-event/src/localPoint.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,50 +0,0 @@
-import { Point } from '@vx/point';
-
-export default function localPoint(nodeOrEvent, maybeEvent) {
-  // called with no args
-  if (!nodeOrEvent) return;
-
-  let node = nodeOrEvent;
-  let event = maybeEvent;
-
-  // called with localPoint(event)
-  if (nodeOrEvent.target) {
-    event = nodeOrEvent;
-
-    // set node to targets owner svg
-    node = event.target.ownerSVGElement;
-
-    // find the outermost svg
-    while (node.ownerSVGElement) {
-      node = node.ownerSVGElement;
-    }
-  }
-
-  // default to mouse event
-  let { clientX, clientY } = event;
-
-  // support touch event
-  if (event.changedTouches) {
-    clientX = event.changedTouches[0].clientX;
-    clientY = event.changedTouches[0].clientY;
-  }
-
-  // calculate coordinates from svg
-  if (node.createSVGPoint) {
-    let point = node.createSVGPoint();
-    point.x = clientX;
-    point.y = clientY;
-    point = point.matrixTransform(node.getScreenCTM().inverse());
-    return new Point({
-      x: point.x,
-      y: point.y,
-    });
-  }
-
-  // fallback to calculating position from non-svg dom node
-  const rect = node.getBoundingClientRect();
-  return new Point({
-    x: clientX - rect.left - node.clientLeft,
-    y: clientY - rect.top - node.clientTop,
-  });
-}
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/localPoint.ts b/packages/vx-event/src/localPoint.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f497e108
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vx-event/src/localPoint.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import localPointGeneric from './localPointGeneric';
+import { EventType } from './types';
+import { isElement, isEvent } from './typeGuards';
+
+export default function localPoint(nodeOrEvent: Element | EventType, maybeEvent?: EventType) {
+  if (isElement(nodeOrEvent) && maybeEvent) {
+    return localPointGeneric(nodeOrEvent, maybeEvent);
+  }
+  if (isEvent(nodeOrEvent)) {
+    const node = nodeOrEvent.target as Element;
+    if (node) return localPointGeneric(node, nodeOrEvent);
+  }
+  return null;
+}
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/localPointGeneric.ts b/packages/vx-event/src/localPointGeneric.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4138627c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vx-event/src/localPointGeneric.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { Point } from '@vx/point';
+import { EventType } from './types';
+import { isSVGElement, isSVGGraphicsElement, isSVGSVGElement } from './typeGuards';
+import getXAndYFromEvent from './getXAndYFromEvent';
+
+export default function localPoint(node: Element, event: EventType) {
+  if (!node || !event) return null;
+
+  const coords = getXAndYFromEvent(event);
+
+  // find top-most SVG
+  const svg = isSVGElement(node) ? node.ownerSVGElement : node;
+  const screenCTM = isSVGGraphicsElement(node) ? node.getScreenCTM() : null;
+
+  if (isSVGSVGElement(svg) && screenCTM) {
+    let point = svg.createSVGPoint();
+    point.x = coords.x;
+    point.y = coords.y;
+    point = point.matrixTransform(screenCTM.inverse());
+
+    return new Point({
+      x: point.x,
+      y: point.y,
+    });
+  }
+
+  // fall back to bounding box
+  const rect = node.getBoundingClientRect();
+
+  return new Point({
+    x: coords.x - rect.left - node.clientLeft,
+    y: coords.y - rect.top - node.clientTop,
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/touchPoint.js b/packages/vx-event/src/touchPoint.js
deleted file mode 100644
index 4aa26ffe3..000000000
--- a/packages/vx-event/src/touchPoint.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-import { Point } from '@vx/point';
-
-export default function touchPoint(node, event) {
-  if (!node) return;
-  const svg = node.ownerSVGElement || node;
-  if (svg.createSVGPoint) {
-    let point = svg.createSVGPoint();
-    point.x = event.changedTouches[0].clientX;
-    point.y = event.changedTouches[0].clientY;
-    point = point.matrixTransform(node.getScreenCTM().inverse());
-    return new Point({
-      x: point.x,
-      y: point.y,
-    });
-  }
-  const rect = node.getBoundingClientRect();
-  return new Point({
-    x: event.changedTouches[0].clientX - rect.left - node.clientLeft,
-    y: event.changedTouches[0].clientY - rect.top - node.clientTop,
-  });
-}
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/touchPoint.ts b/packages/vx-event/src/touchPoint.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b392c2c4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vx-event/src/touchPoint.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export { default } from './localPointGeneric';
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/typeGuards.ts b/packages/vx-event/src/typeGuards.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f316e075e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vx-event/src/typeGuards.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import { EventType } from './types';
+
+export function isElement(elem?: Element | EventType): elem is Element {
+  return !!elem && elem instanceof Element;
+}
+
+// functional definition of isSVGElement. Note that SVGSVGElements are HTMLElements
+export function isSVGElement(elem?: Element): elem is SVGElement {
+  return !!elem && (elem instanceof SVGElement || 'ownerSVGElement' in elem);
+}
+
+// functional definition of SVGGElement
+export function isSVGSVGElement(elem?: Element | null): elem is SVGSVGElement {
+  return !!elem && 'createSVGPoint' in elem;
+}
+
+export function isSVGGraphicsElement(elem?: Element | null): elem is SVGGraphicsElement {
+  return !!elem && 'getScreenCTM' in elem;
+}
+
+// functional definition of TouchEvent
+export function isTouchEvent(event?: EventType): event is TouchEvent | React.TouchEvent {
+  return !!event && 'changedTouches' in event;
+}
+
+// functional definition of event
+export function isEvent(event?: EventType | Element): event is EventType {
+  return (
+    !!event &&
+    (event instanceof Event || ('nativeEvent' in event && event.nativeEvent instanceof Event))
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/src/types.ts b/packages/vx-event/src/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8ec87341d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vx-event/src/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export type EventType = MouseEvent | TouchEvent | React.MouseEvent | React.TouchEvent;
diff --git a/packages/vx-event/test/localPoint.test.js b/packages/vx-event/test/localPoint.test.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/vx-event/test/localPoint.test.js
rename to packages/vx-event/test/localPoint.test.ts