Title: Injuries and Deaths Due to Firearms in the Home

Publication Date: August 1998

What does it say?

This study compared the number of times guns kept in the home are used to injure or kill in self-defense with the number of times they were used in an unintentional injury, suicide attempt, criminal assault or homicide. Records of fatal and nonfatal shootings in Memphis, TN, Seattle, WA, and Galveston, TX were used. It was found that for every time a household gun was used for self-defense, there were 4 unintentional shootings, 7 criminal assaults or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides.

Overall, guns kept in the home were 22 times more likely to be used in unintentional shootings, murder or assault, and suicide attempts than in an act of self-defense.

The study concludes that: “Guns kept in homes are more likely to be involved in a fatal or nonfatal accidental shooting, criminal assault, or suicide attempt than to be used to injure or kill in self-defense.”

How can I use it?

Use this study to challenge the myth that guns make us safer. Gun owners need to be informed of the risks of gun ownership, and legislatures should adopt common sense gun laws that increase the safe and secure storage of firearms in the home.

Citation

Kellermann, Arthur L. et al., “Injuries and Deaths Due to Firearms in the Home,” Journal of Trauma, Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, 45(2) (1998): 263-267

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