Guns are an incredibly efficient killing tool. They can be used at all sorts of ranges, they deal incredible amounts of damage, and can be used again immediately upon firing, provided the gun still has ammo in the magazine. Reloading most guns can also be pretty fast, especially with practice. Handguns are also easy to conceal, and are more than capable of downing an entire room of people.
Some people make the argument that if it wasn’t guns being used, another weapon would be, such as a knife or a truck. And for some murderers this is true, however these methods have limitations that drastically reduce the carnage that can be caused.
Knifes are only really useful up close and personal, and take longer to do damage. That means, after victim #1, the attacker has to run around and catch subsequent victims, who will be fleeing. This puts the attacker at a major fatigue disadvantage if a subsequent victim can defend themselves, or if a third party flanks and engages the attacker during an attack.
Trucks can be used for mass murder, and can certainly rack up high casualty numbers, but they’re only available with a license for this reason, and getting a license isn’t easy. They’re also hella expensive to get your hands on. Once you’ve got that sorted, your viable targets are restricted to places on or near public road. You also need to plan your route because hitting metal or concrete structures can and will total your truck, after which it is game over. Your chances of escaping from this are basically zero, as the moment you stop, your car will be mobbed by cops or survivors trying to get to you, not to mention that crashes are disorienting as fuck.
Not enough to explain the relative excessive amount of gun-related killings. Now, I do believe that mental health issues combined with easy access to weapons is a toxic combo.
That would be the missing statistics due to the lack of access there.
There is obviously more people with issues than what’s been reported. Since it’s only what’s reported and they can’t report if people can’t access the help that doesn’t exist.
And why so often the US? It’s not like Americans are more mentally ill than people from other countries.
Guns are A LOT more accessible in the US by a wide margin.
I always hear people saying that it’s not about the guns…
It is very much about the guns.
Guns are an incredibly efficient killing tool. They can be used at all sorts of ranges, they deal incredible amounts of damage, and can be used again immediately upon firing, provided the gun still has ammo in the magazine. Reloading most guns can also be pretty fast, especially with practice. Handguns are also easy to conceal, and are more than capable of downing an entire room of people.
Some people make the argument that if it wasn’t guns being used, another weapon would be, such as a knife or a truck. And for some murderers this is true, however these methods have limitations that drastically reduce the carnage that can be caused.
Knifes are only really useful up close and personal, and take longer to do damage. That means, after victim #1, the attacker has to run around and catch subsequent victims, who will be fleeing. This puts the attacker at a major fatigue disadvantage if a subsequent victim can defend themselves, or if a third party flanks and engages the attacker during an attack.
Trucks can be used for mass murder, and can certainly rack up high casualty numbers, but they’re only available with a license for this reason, and getting a license isn’t easy. They’re also hella expensive to get your hands on. Once you’ve got that sorted, your viable targets are restricted to places on or near public road. You also need to plan your route because hitting metal or concrete structures can and will total your truck, after which it is game over. Your chances of escaping from this are basically zero, as the moment you stop, your car will be mobbed by cops or survivors trying to get to you, not to mention that crashes are disorienting as fuck.
Hard to kill 60 and would more than 400 from a hotel room window with a knife or a truck.
There is that too. Guns can have crazy ranges on them
You perhaps think less about killing people if you don’t have the tool designed for killing people.
Gun culture is different. It’s very rare elsewhere, with different requirements.
Is it not the largest country at the top of the list?
And on a caveat, they don’t have access to mental help, so wouldn’t that skew the stats significantly?
Per capita, the US is way ahead of all other developed countries on gun-related deaths.
And they have the highest ratio of people with mental issues among the largest countries.
You claimed they don’t have more mental health issues, I’m asking why you would think that while they are the leader.
Not enough to explain the relative excessive amount of gun-related killings. Now, I do believe that mental health issues combined with easy access to weapons is a toxic combo.
That would be the missing statistics due to the lack of access there.
There is obviously more people with issues than what’s been reported. Since it’s only what’s reported and they can’t report if people can’t access the help that doesn’t exist.
Doesn’t explain why this isn’t a thing in poor countries
Guns ain’t cheap.
Are they not lower than the USA on a list that’s lacking proper statistics due to the lack of assessable and affordable health care in that sector?