Title: Target: Law Enforcement, Assault Weapons in the News, March 1, 2005 - February 28, 2007

Publication Date: February 2010

What does it say?

Based on an analysis of media reports of assault weapons incidents from March 1, 2005 to February 28, 2007, this researcher documented that more than one out of four (27.2 percent) assault weapons incidents involved police.  

While the number of assault weapon incidents stayed roughly the same from 2005/6 to 2006/7, the percent of incidents involving law enforcement increased by 20.7 percent.  The report also documents at least one law enforcement non-fatal injury in 12 of the 64 law enforcement cases and one fatal injury in 4 of the 64 reported incidents involving law enforcement. 

The study also provides a brief overview of the history of assault weapon regulation in the U.S.

How can I use it?

Use the data in this report to advocate that the Obama Administration once again prohibit the importation of assault weapons via application of the “sporting purposes” test and that Congress enact a federal assault weapon ban modeled on the California assault weapon ban.

Citation

Diaz, Tom, Target: Law Enforcement, Assault Weapons in the News, March 1, 2005 -February 28, 2007, Washington, DC: Violence Policy Center, February 2010

[1613]