Quote:
Originally Posted by AmateurFlix
I'm confident that statistics would show otherwise. Even in my own community I can only recall a handfull of reported shootings in recent years during domestic violence situations, but many more incidents of beatings, stabbings, being attacked with screwdrivers, hammers, etc. In those type of situations people seem to typically just pick up whatever object is nearby and use it as a weapon, not have the forethought to find, load, and prepare a firearm. Which isn't to say that if a loaded gun is sitting in the room they wouldn't use it, but that's simply not a typical situation.
Your friend's perception of the situation is probably more a result of their own fears that kept them safe rather than statistical facts. Even people prone to violent outbursts rarely actually utilize a weapon during some type of episode, though others may fear they will. And given that particular situation, women frequently make things out to be far worse than they actually are in hopes of winning sympathy during divorce proceedings...
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Stats? Na.. stats are known on this and keep repeating themselves every year. Can't remember (tho they are published on the net) - the gun crime rate exceeds all of the EU, UK, Japan plus a few other regions. Would need to check, but around 11,000 in the US and nothing like that in these regions combined.
Agree... most "normal people" don't shoot others :-) But that can change in a flick of an eye for whatever reason. Today is prob an average example.. who knows (we never will), but someone decided on a mass killing - not a "one off" - and over a couple of hours. Often "normal folks" will be shocked and cool down when they kill - this person did not. When the perp has been trained - hell - that's a nightmare, not only for cops but for others around him.
On the "domestics" - most were smooth going and no biggie. (They were not some neurotic wife, but established facts presented to a judge who then issued an order for protection - can't remember em all, but some were serious shit).
The flip side to that is prob a continuation of "careers" as govt officers where the weapons where in the hands of criminals - and they often had more sophisticated weapons than law enforcement (drugs related and unlimited budgets for weapons). It's hard to give an answer for that - maybe a case where the horse has already bolted from the stable and it becomes a war in protecting the public, who, in turn, buy a weapon to make them feel safer. It's a vicious circle.
One thing you mentioned - other weapons, sure, these are a danger with real criminals, but LE have more chance with them (it's broken jaw and collarbone time *s*) - the most fatalities seem to come from guns. Can think of one person who lost two partners to gun shootings, tho she has been stabbed multiple occasions, shot, raped and beaten over the head with a baseball thingy - so it's not all guns, but fatalities seem to be gun related.