Gun Control and Safety (2)

Sutherland Springs Shooting

On November 5, 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley entered the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and opened fire on the congregation.
Kelley used a Ruger AR-556 semiautomatic rifle, capable of rapid firing.
He fired about thirty magazines, each holding fifteen rounds.
Stephen Willeford, a former NRA firearms instructor, engaged Kelley with his own gun.
Willeford and another citizen, Johnnie Langendorff, pursued Kelley, who later crashed and killed himself.

The shooting sparked debate about gun control and the Second Amendment.
Gun-rights supporters argue that armed citizens can protect themselves and others from criminals.
Gun-control advocates argue for stricter gun laws, pointing to the high rate of gun deaths in the United States compared to Western Europe.

Western European countries have stricter gun laws and lower rates of shooting deaths.
From 1999 to 2016, over 26,000 children under eighteen died due to firearms in the US, accounting for 91% of the global total among wealthy nations.
Erin Grinshteyn argues that the high number of firearms in the U.S. contributes to higher gun violence rates.

Proponents of less gun control argue that law-abiding citizens with guns can deter crime and defend against tyranny, referencing the American Revolution.
Critics of gun control point to Mexico, where strict gun laws haven't prevented criminals from being heavily armed.
Gun-control supporters note that many guns used in Mexico are smuggled from the U.S., indicating lax U.S. gun laws contribute to the problem.

Accidental shootings, especially involving children, are a significant concern.
A 2018 study estimated that about 4.6 million children in the U.S. live in homes with loaded, unlocked guns.
Research indicates that access to guns doubles the risk of homicide and triples the risk of suicide.

Gun companies offer free gunlocks through programs like Project ChildSafe.
Gun-control advocates support mandatory gunlocks and technology that allows only the owner to operate a gun.
Gun-rights groups believe safety devices should be voluntary, opposing mandatory laws as government intrusion.

Gun violence against women in domestic abuse situations is higher in the U.S. compared to other wealthy nations.
The presence of a gun during domestic violence increases the likelihood of murder by a factor of five.
Gun-control supporters favor laws to keep guns away from individuals with a history of domestic abuse.

Over half of all suicides in the United States involve guns.
Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among teenagers.
Firearms are used in about 5% of suicide attempts but account for about 50% of suicide deaths.
Suicide rates for adolescents in homes with guns are significantly higher.
Researchers have concluded that suicide success rates correlate directly with access to firearms.
A CDC study found that 24% of people who attempt suicide take less than five minutes to make their decision, and 70% take less than one hour.
David Hemenway notes that most failed suicide attempts do not lead to repeat attempts.
Waiting periods for gun purchases can reduce impulsive suicidal behavior.

Self-defense is a primary reason for gun ownership, according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study.
Gun-rights groups claim more than two million defensive gun uses in the U.S. annually; gun-control advocates argue this number is unreliable.
A Violence Policy Center study found that only about 1% of victims of violent crimes used a gun in self-defense from 2014 to 2016.

A 2009 University of Pennsylvania study found that a person carrying a gun is 4.5 times more likely to be shot.
Debate exists around when it is acceptable to use lethal force, such as against an unarmed burglar or someone vandalizing property.

Two main camps exist regarding self-defense: stand-your-ground and duty-to-retreat.
Stand-your-ground proponents believe a person under threat has the right to stand their ground and fire.
Duty-to-retreat advocates believe people under threat must try to remove themselves from the situation before firing.

Castle laws permit residents to defend themselves from intruders in their homes, often ignoring the rule of minimum necessary force.
Florida law provides legal protection under castle law to people anywhere they are legally allowed to be, even in public places.

The shooting of Markeis McGlockton by Michael Drejka sparked outrage and threw Florida's stand-your-ground law into the national spotlight.
The law requires only that a shooter feel threatened to warrant defensive gun use, leading to criticism that it sets a shoot first, ask questions later standard.