Statistics from the CDC are very interesting.
About 60% of all gun deaths are due to suicide.
About 35% are homicides; the other 5% are part accidents, part self defense.
Of the homicides, the vast majority - about 80% - are gang-related.
There are two things here that so many people don't get.
1) An AR15 is NOT some magically-dangerous weapon. It's just a semi-auto rifle that looks cool. In fact, I'll tell you, that when the M16 (the military version, with a full-auto option - which I understand the military if phasing out) was introduced, a lot of the troops didn't like it.
WHY?
Well, the little .223 bullet really isn't all that great at knocking down bad guys. My dad's best friend was in Vietnam for years, and he said the troops didn't really like the M16 because Vietcong would be shot and just keep coming. A lot of the older guys wanted to go back to M1 carbines because when they shot the enemy with that gun, they went down.
In fact, in some of these mass shootings in confined areas, the AR15 is FAR from the most dangerous firearm. If you wanted a weapon to kill a bunch of people, use a sawed off shotgun filled with buckshot. MUCH, MUCH more dangerous.
Whatchagonnado? Outlaw shotguns? Gimme a break.
It's NOT about the gun.
2) People don't get that, whether it's a criminal breaking in your home, or a crazy going into a school or bar to shoot a bunch of people, the same thing applies.
Those people are essentially bullies, who want to attack you from a position of power. And if you don't have a gun, you are at a disadvantage.
Every single mass shooting I can think of in the last 10 years has one commonality: they ALL happened in gun-free zones.
See criminals don't attack police stations.
They don't attack gun ranges.
They NEVER will.
They want to walk into a situation where they can do a TON of damage before going out in a blaze of glory. If they think they'll be killed before they get started good, they won't attack there.
