Latest news with #gunLaws
New York Times
2 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
Gun Deaths of Children Rose in States That Loosened Gun Laws, Study Finds
Firearm deaths of children and teenagers rose significantly in states that enacted more permissive gun laws after the Supreme Court in 2010 limited local governments' ability to restrict gun ownership, a new study has found. In states that maintained stricter laws, firearm deaths were stable after the ruling, the researchers reported, and in some, they even declined. Guns are the leading cause of death in the United States for people under 18. Dr. Jeremy Faust, an emergency room doctor at Massachusetts General Brigham Hospital in Boston, who was the study's lead author, said he was dismayed to find that most of the children's deaths were homicides and suicides. 'It's surprising how few of these are accidents,' Dr. Faust said. 'I always thought that a lot of pediatric mortality from guns is that somebody got into the wrong place, and I still think safe storage is important, but it's mostly homicides and suicides.' The study, published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics, examined the 13-year period after the June 2010 Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment, which protects an individual's right to bear arms, applies to state and local gun-control laws. The decision effectively limited the ability of state and local governments to regulate firearms. The researchers classified states into three categories based on their gun laws: most permissive, permissive and strict. They used a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention database to analyze firearm mortality trends from 1999 to 2010 — before the Supreme Court ruling — and compared them with the 13-year period afterward. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
America's worst state for active shooters revealed
Texas saw more active shooter reports than any other state in 2024 — with disturbing incidents unfolding everywhere from church pews to parking lots, according to a shocking new FBI report. The Lone Star State logged four separate active shooter events last year, the most in the country, leaving 11 people either dead or injured. California and North Carolina trailed behind with two each. Texas is a key driver of that spike, with a staggering 22 incidents recorded over five years, second only to California's 25. In total, 369 people have been killed and 701 injured in U.S. active shooter attacks since 2020. The FBI's definition of 'active shooter' is specific: it refers to someone trying to kill in a populated area, typically with a gun — even if there's just one victim. It is not the same as a mass shooting, which is defined as an incident where four or more people are killed by gunfire at the same location. Texas's loose gun laws may also factor into the state's high numbers. The state has some of the most permissive firearm regulations in the U.S. Residents are allowed to carry handguns in public without a license or training under the 2021 permit less carry law. There is no requirement to register firearms or report private gun sales, and background checks for such transactions are not mandatory. Texas also has a strong 'stand your ground' law and no waiting period for gun purchases. Despite Texas's lead in raw numbers, the most deadly single shooting of 2024 took place in Arkansas, where a gunman opened fire at a supermarket in June, killing four and injuring 10. Her son was critically injured in the exchange, along with a 57-year-old man. Authorities later revealed the weapon had been purchased legally in 2016 and had a 'Palestine' sticker on it. The motive behind the attack remains under investigation. 'Civilians should understand the risks… and utilize available resources to prepare for, prevent, and survive such incidents,' the FBI warned in the report.
