I’ve been trying to track down a statistic for purposes of gun-control debates that I can’t seem to find: what percent of crimes commited with guns end with someone actually getting shot? (I’m asking specific to the US, although international figures would be interesting as well.) Endemic as gun-violence is to our country, it seems to me from my admittedly limited perspective as a newspaper reader that the vast majority of gun-crimes are stick-ups and muggings that don’t end in injury. Is that correct?
Well this report says that of guns captured off those involved in a violent crime, only 28.6% were used in the commission of a homicide.
So are we not including other gun-related violence such pistol-whipping, bayonet stabbing, or using a rifle as a club?
There’s also discharging a firearm inside the city limits, hunting violations that don’t involve animals getting shot, carrying a gun without a permit, the sorts of gun sales that aren’t legal, theft of guns, and in some places, brandishing a gun.
[hijack thread]
Doncha just LOVE that phrase, “brandishing a gun.” It sounds like it should involve music, an announcer, and possibly fireworks and confetti!
While I’m hijacking, can anyone tell me what “pistol whip” means? Do you hold the gun by the handle and whap Hell outta somebody with the end of the barrel, or do you hold the barrel and bop somebody over the head with the handle?
[/hijack thread]
~VOW
Slaping someone with the barrel of a gun while holding the pistol grip is called “buffaloed” and hitting them with the grip is called pistol whipping.