11 Facts About Guns

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  1. In America, there are approximately 270 million firearms possessed by civilians, and only 897,000 carried by police.
    • Approximately 20 percent of gun owners own 65 percent of the guns.
  2. ​The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms reports that about 5.5 million new firearms were manufactured in America in 2010. 95 percent of it was for the U.S. market.
  3. Close to 33,000 Americans were victims of gun-related deaths in 2011.
  4. In 2011, 10.3 in every 100,000 people in the U.S. were victims of gun-related deaths.
  5. Buyers that purchase firearms through private sales in the U.S. don't have to pass a background check before obtaining possession of the weapon.
    • This includes sales to criminals, felons, and people with a history of severe mental illness.
  6. In the first 11 months of 2012, the federal government performed 16.8 million background checks on legal gun purchases, which was a record high since the system was founded back in 1998.
  7. The Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence reports that an average of 268 people are shot every day in America. That's 97,820 per year.
  8. Trigger locks are used to make a firearm more difficult to discharge and act as a safety precaution in carrying and owning guns. However, only 9 states in America (NY, NJ, CA, OH, MI, RI, MD, PA, MA) have trigger lock laws that enforce this precautionary measure.
  9. Since 1950, every public mass shooting (with the exception of just one) in the U.S. has occurred in a place where civilians are banned from carrying firearms.
  10. 51 gun shows banned attendees from bringing loaded guns to events in January 2013, to promote a safe, recreational environment.
  11. In January 2013, President Obama presented his comprehensive plan to prevent gun violence in the U.S. His plan includes:
    • improving the background check system 
    • banning assault weapons and large capacity magazines of ammunition
    • creating and enforcing stricter trafficking laws 
    • increasing our study and knowledge of the gun violence epidemic

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Sources: Gun Policy, NY Times,Brady Campaign, Law Server, USA Today, Think Progress, NYAGV, ABC

 

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