Not that we should believe anything that Josh Sugarman’s Violence Policy Center ever says, but even for them, this is egregiously terrible:
“More Than 2,500 Non-Self Defense Deaths Involving Concealed Carry Killers Since 2007, Latest Violence Policy Center Research Shows”
Yeah, except that the data shows no such thing — unless you lie, twist and conceal data which negates your premise, that us.
When you discount all of the categories that don’t match VPC’s horrid headline—suicide, murder/suicide victim, cases still pending, accidents and cases still under investigation—the final total is 625 over a 17-year period. Do the math, and it equals 36 a year, equal to about two holiday weekends in Chicago. (Of course, this assumes that VPC’s figures are even close to being correct.)
And they pretty much aren’t. Considering that only a (shamefully) small percentage of gun owners carry concealed, I wouldn’t even believe that annual number of three dozen.
The only problem with bullshit like this — Sugarman would call it a feature, not a bug — is that the numbers will be uncritically used by The Usual Hoplophobic Suspects — media, Congress, etc. — to bolster their demands that All Guns Should Be Confiscated, Right Now.
Uh huh. Dream on, assholes.
Just a minor quibble, and it’s a misteak (SWIDT?) that I’ve made once or thrice, but it actually works in TTAG’s favor. Assuming that the calendar years of 2007 and 2024 are included, then we’re talking about eighteen years of data. (No, really! Count ‘em up!) So that would be 141 and 34.7 deaths per year, respectively. Even if VPC’s numbers are correct it’s still nothing over which one should betwist their knickers.
only 2500 people with concealed carry permits dying in 18 years is remarkable.
So they’re saying a CCP is almost a guarantee of immortality?
Actually, it’s much lower than the average mortality rate — so you may be onto something there.
“Carry a gun — live longer!”
True on so many levels.
why get hung up on statistics? Our rights aren’t subject to statistics.