Legal Guns

[svtruth]

Does anyone know of a source that slices the data on firearm deaths by whether the shooter legally owned the firearm?
Thanks in advance.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

Ive wondered this a few times myself! I hope someone can enlighten us.

 

[Loosedhorse]

Does anyone know of a source that slices the data on firearm deaths by whether the shooter legally owned the firearm?

As phrased, your question would include all suicides by legal gun owners--which may or may not have been classified as "fatal gun accidents" while cleaning the gun. And it would not include a 17y/o who uses a handgun in SD.

I don't believe any database matches a firearm-related death to whether the firearm was legally owned by the shooter.

We can get some hints, though: WISQARS lists a little over 38k firearms related deaths in the US for 2009. Of those, nearly 19k were suicide, 11.5 k were "homicides", 554 were "unintentional," and 333 were "legal intervention" (not "homicides").

WISQARS makes clear that it unconcerned with considering legal SD shootings, and so lumps SD shootings with criminal firearm-related homicides, all as "homicides":

Justifiable homicide is not identified in WISQARS.

 

[svtruth]

Interesting

that it is hard to find.
My guess is that it is so small that when the antis looked at it they decided it would weaken their case.
Thanks again.

 

[MachIVshooter]

We can get some hints, though: WISQARS lists a little over 38k firearms related deaths in the US for 2009. Of those, nearly 19k were suicide, 11.5 k were "homicides", 554 were "unintentional," and 333 were "legal intervention" (not "homicides").

I find that erroneous. The killing of one human being by another is homicide, regardless of whether it was unlawful, unintentional or justified.

That said, I know that many people don't understand the difference between murder and homicide. Murder is always homicide, but homicide is not always murder.

 

[Loosedhorse]

I find that erroneous.

Agreed, but that's how they classify them. Homicides XOR legal intervention: legal intervention is not a subset of homicides

I also don't doubt politcal motivation in failing to ID justifiable homicides (and in assuming that all "legal intervention" deaths are justified). But it would be quite difficult to tag justifiable homicides correctly, as they are classified as "homicides" by the coroner, and justification might not be determined until years later.