The recent shootings at Dayton, Ohio and El Paso reaffirm the alarming frequency of the nightmare that has become a reality for most Americans. It isn’t uncommon to open a newspaper and be greeted by the news that a gunman opened fire at a school, workplace or even the local supermarket. Most of us spend the better part of the day at work; meetings, lunches, and appointments. We have to face the sad truth that we’re not 100% safe, even at our workplace. No one wants to think of the possibility of having to confront a gunman on a shooting rampage, but it would be foolish to pretend that the threat doesn’t exist. The statistics shed light on the current status of gun violence which certainly doesn’t paint a pretty picture. America has always had a unique relationship with guns. Let’s look at some figures.
- Compared to other developed countries the gun-related murder rate is 25 times higher in the US.
- On an average, there is one mass shooting each day.
- There have been 2000+ mass shootings since the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012.
- There are more guns than people. Even though America accounts for less than 5% of the world’s population, it accounts for 46% of the world’s civilian-owned guns.
- According to the data collected by Brady, 310 people are shot each day.
Even though there is a demand for stricter gun control policies for civilians, it hasn’t yielded the expected results. The faction advocating for stricter gun laws argue that the easy accessibility of firearms is the main cause of heightened gun violence in the US. The Second Amendment of the Constitution firmly establishes the right of the people to keep and bear arms.