In 2017, 206 people were killed in mass shootings. None of us will argue that it’s a tragedy when innocent people are killed by firearms. However, the number of lives lost in a mass shooting is far smaller than the top 15 causes of death which don’t get nearly the same attention or stigma.
More people die from accidental poisoning than from firearms in 2017.
Suicide accounts for more than half the firearm-related deaths in 2017 (23,854 out of 39,773). When Australia banned firearms, the number of firearm-related suicides dropped, but the overall number of suicides did not go down. For statistics on Australia firearm deaths and suicides, see Do Australia's Gun Laws Reduce Deaths?
Do these number surprise you at all? How can you use them to discuss the current anti-firearm arguments?
The most interesting fact is that homicide did not make the list, regardless of the tool used to kill. The homicide death rate in 2017 according to the CDC was 19,500 with 14,500 with firearms proving only that it is an efficient tool for the purpose intended. Both of these numbers are well under even #15. And the number for mass murders by firearm is significantly less.
@Fred_G Nope. Only about “Control” Gun, Health, Climate fill in your favorite. It’s just about control of mean nasty scary things. Never mind those mean nasty scary Doctors that kill 300K per year negligently.
IMHO if the stat is included in another stat it must be reduced from that group which would make death by firearms at ~16K. `40K deaths by firearms - (suicides + accidents) subtract justified LEO & self defense shootings and all the other bits and you are left with south of 8K by murder of which ~400 are accomplished by rifles…
These knuckle heads want to ban AR-15’s!!! We need to ban Car’s and Doctors. While we’re at it let’s ban diseases and see how well that works.
I refuse to use the words mass shootings, it puts blame on an inanimate object . Mss murders committed by an unstable person with a gun says it more truthfully.
I think part of the problem discussing these issues and using numbers like those above is the audience perspective. It seems to me that at some level weapons people are grounded,and fact based. It seems to me that the way gun control is pitched and used is on an emotional basis.(not all but a majority). This tends to make discussion difficult since you have to contradict how someone subjectively feels. The facts do not matter since I feel this way or that way. In addition the base arguments are usually around general,-( in logic one might say fallacious) understandings of a view. Ex we are all human and no human has a right to kill another human. Law goes out the window,and right and wrong the second you bring in humanity.
The issue then is since our leaders know they are essentially manipulating people (the overiding assumption is that they either know or can access the facts) is why,and that comes back to power and control ( of many things,people,govt, money,position etc.)
Facts vs humanity or how you feel arguments can be won,however it might be easier for every conservative to switch to being a liberal and vote these guys out of office.
The other side is security of the country,and I would Hazzard a guess that even politicians who support the 2nd,keep an eye on the people,fearful of how far they can go(with betrayal) before the country has a problem,and for that reason they are only partially supporting gun rights…
Just a thought,now if I could just get all of the lawsuits filed,without having to worry about whose toes are being stepped on.
More people were killed by hands and feet a year in 2017… To be exact 672… and 1, 597 were killed by the use of knives… 403 people were killed by so called Assault Rifle; Real Name is ArmaLite Rifle.
Government leaders continue to lied by changing the name. More people died from hand guns than AR-15 in 2017.
Always wondered why political leaders don’t share the TRUTH during elections period; CDC rates speak for itself. Tax Payers have a right to know the TRUTH… Just Sayin’!
. Mss murders committed by an unstable person with a gun says it more truthfully.
