Gun Violence Aftermath

After the horrific school shooting in Florida a few weeks ago, we are hearing more and more news reports and protests calling for more gun control to reduce gun violence.  This is yet another senseless loss of life at the hands of a sociopath hell bent on mass carnage with no regard for human life.

Now, let’s get into the nuts and bolts of gun violence by the numbers and hold people accountable for the deaths – not the weapon.

TOTAL FIREARM DEATHS:

2012 = 33,563 (12,093 Homicide) (20,667 Suicide) (548 Accidental) (256 Undetermined Intent)

2013 = 33,636 (11,675 Homicide) (21,175 Suicide) (505 Accidental) (281 Undetermined Intent)

2014 = 33,594 (11,472 Homicide) (21,386 Suicide) (461 Accidental) (282 Undetermined Intent)

2015 = 36,252 (13,463 Homicide) (22,018 Suicide) (489 Accidental) (300 Undetermined Intent)

2016 = 38,658 (14,925 Homicide) (22,938 Suicide) (495 Accidental) (300 Undetermined Intent)

The total amount of firearm related deaths from 2012-2016 was 35,141.  Out of that number 22,938 were suicides.  That is an astounding 61%.

Sources- CDC and FBI Supplementary Homicide Reports.

Americans are more likely to kill themselves with a gun that they own legally, rather than at the hands of someone else.

Now, the call for more and more gun laws is front page news due to the school shooting in Florida.

NO law is going to stop a person who is hell bent on killing innocent and UNARMED people.  Period.  Take a close look at the numbers above.  Guns are simply a tool, much like a hammer or screwdriver.  They are force multipliers that when used correctly can put food on your table and protect your life and others.

When used incorrectly, they can kill the person holding the gun as well as the innocent.

Teen Firearm Deaths

Now let’s talk numbers when it comes to teenage firearm deaths.

These are statistics for teens from the age of 13-19 years of age.

2012 =Total firearm Deaths=2,694 (1,701 Homicide)

2013 =Total firearm Deaths=2,465 (1,430 Homicide)

2014 =Total firearm Deaths=2,548 (1,488 Homicide)

2015 =Total firearm Deaths=2,824 (1,670 Homicide)

2016 =Total firearm Deaths=3,155 (1,876 Homicide)

=13,686 (8,164 Homicide)

The numbers in regard to suicide and accidental deaths are not reported in the CDC data that I found.  More than likely due to the difficulty in proving the teen’s intent with the firearm.

The numbers above show that teens are at a very difficult time in their lives and school shootings are on the TV constantly.  This will give them a chance to be “famous” or rather “infamous” after the melee that ensues.

I am not going to get into my personal feelings regarding the matter.  But rather to try and get us to look through both sets of eyes when it comes to “Gun Violence”.

If you think the laws are fine the way they are, or if you think we need to change things:

Would you feel the same if it was your only child that was murdered at school?

Would you feel the same if it was your teenager that was the shooter?

Would you feel the same if they had been killed with a knife, axe, sword, explosives or poisoned?

To simply throw out blanket statements about weapon systems like the AR-15, SKS, Mini 14 and Ak-47 are unfounded.  When 2/3 of violent crimes involving guns are committed with legally obtained hand guns.

I have attached a link to one of my past blogs on how to survive an active shooter situation.

https://fishgame.com/2017/10/survive-active-shooter-must-read/

I hope and pray we don’t turn on the news to read about another mass casualty at a school, church or another type of venue in 2018.  However, I would bet the farm that we do.

Fortuna Paratus Remunerat– Fortune Favors the Prepared.

Shane Smith