Two recent shootings in Atlanta, Georgia and Boulder, Colorado are fueling team-left’s long desired ban on “assault-style” rifles like the AR-15. But, according to data from the FBI, far more murders are committed with handguns, knives, or even bare hands. The most recent data from 2019 shows that although firearms do account for the majority […]
Two recent shootings in Atlanta, Georgia and Boulder, Colorado are fueling team-left’s long desired ban on “assault-style” rifles like the AR-15.
But, according to data from the FBI, far more murders are committed with handguns, knives, or even bare hands.
The most recent data from 2019 shows that although firearms do account for the majority of homicides - 10,258 - the number of homicides committed using a rifle - 364 - is much smaller, according to the Daily Caller.
Handguns were listed as the primary weapon in 6,368 cases, while shotguns accounted for an additional 200. 45 cases named “other gun” as the weapon and in 3,281 cases, the type of firearm was not listed.
Assuming the unspecified cases follow the same ratio as the reported firearm types, the number of rifle homicides would increase by approximately 120, bringing the total number from 364 to 484.
Meanwhile, a whopping 600 people were killed with what the FBI calls “personal weapons,” including hands, fists or feet.
Knives, evidently, accounted for 1,476 homicides.
That is three times the amount of homicides committed using a rifle.
Despite the data, democrats have long pushed to tighten gun control laws, specifically banning assault rifles.
While the AR-15 is typically the weapon of choice for highly-publicized “mass shootings,” hence why there are calls to ban them, it is critical to look at the exact definition of the term.
A “mass shooting” is defined as any scenario in which at least four people are killed. This means that numbers can be dramatically skewed by gang-related and drug-related activity.
In looking at the data, by this logic, knives should be banned as well, considering they cause more damage.
