Sunday, December 16, 2012

How People Are Murdered in the United States

Despite news media impressions to the contrary, there are not many murders in the United States that are committed with rifles or shotguns. Combined, it is under 1,000 per year---more people are murdered with knives. FBI data shows that most murders are done with handguns. Random killings are very rare, most are between people who know each other or rival gang members. In other words, stay out of bad areas, such as parts of Rahmaland, and your chance of being killed by a stranger is very, very slim.  Further data to contemplate: In 32% of the murders in 2010, no firearm was used at all.


    Murder Victims

    by Weapon, 2010–2014





    Weapons 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
    Total 13,164 12,795 12,888 12,253 11,961
    Total firearms: 8,874 8,653 8,897 8,454 8,124
    Handguns 6,115 6,251 6,404 5,782 5,562
    Rifles 367 332 298 285 248
    Shotguns 366 362 310 308 262
    Other guns 93 97 116 123 93
    Firearms, type not stated 1,933 1,611 1,769 1,956 1,959
    Knives or cutting instruments 1,732 1,716 1,604 1,490 1,567
    Blunt objects (clubs, hammers, etc.) 549 502 522 428 435
    Personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.)1 769 751 707 687 660
    Poison 11 5 13 11 7
    Explosives 4 6 8 2 6
    Fire 78 76 87 94 71
    Narcotics 45 33 38 53 62
    Drowning 10 15 14 4 14
    Strangulation 122 88 90 85 89
    Asphyxiation 98 92 106 95 96
    Other weapons or weapons not stated 872 858 802 850 830

    • 1 Pushed is included in personal weapons.



    at 1:49:00 PM

    61 comments:

    1. AnonymousDecember 16, 2012 at 1:58 PM

      Is this chart including suicides?

      It's important to know, because I've seen tally reports over the years that categorize suicides in with firearm deaths--
      If they are included, it changes the character of the information substantially...

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. AnonymousDecember 17, 2012 at 5:46 PM

        I don't believe so. I didn't see stats from the FBI but if you look here: http://www.suicide.org/suicide-statistics.html#2005 it would appear there are more suicides by firearm than total murders.

        Delete
      2. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2013 at 11:51 PM

        No, the FBI statistics are clearly labeled as homicides.
        Here is the link for 2011 figures: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-11

        8583 people were murdered with firearms: 6220 handguns, 323 rifles, 356 shotguns, 1684 other/not stated.
        1694 were murdered w/ knives or cutting instruments.
        496 were murdered w/ blunt objects (clubs, hammers, etc.).

        Delete
      3. Matthew MartinJune 14, 2013 at 5:53 PM

        Nope. This includes every death ruled by a coroner or medical examiner as a homicide, but not a suicide. Due to the need to prosecute murderers, data on murders are fairly accurate. However, a lot of suicides get ruled "accidental death" in order to allow families to save face.

        Delete
      4. MikeNovember 9, 2014 at 7:46 AM

        So, then this would include every death caused by police shootings as well - lumped right in with the other non-suicide handgun deaths. I cannot find them tracked separately.

        Delete
      5. UnknownDecember 19, 2015 at 10:22 AM

        Some dictionary definitions of suicide is that it is a form of homicide. Merely claiming it is listed as homicide therefore, is not an answer or at best incomplete.

        Delete
      6. UnknownJune 12, 2016 at 8:22 PM

        Yep. All ppl need to do is look it up.

        Delete
    2. gpondDecember 16, 2012 at 3:07 PM

      Notice the steady decline in murders year after year, regardless of method.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. AnonymousFebruary 6, 2013 at 2:16 PM

        Note the year 2011 is not included ... even though this was published in the end of 2012.

        Delete
    3. AnonymousDecember 16, 2012 at 4:18 PM

      Also, for perspective, please list annual number of deaths due to car accidents, fires and... medical errors. Also, I enjoy your blog. Keep up the good work!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2013 at 12:13 PM

        Uh, car accidents are just that. Who cares? Homocides and suicides by firearms is most relevant considering that their sole purpose is for killing people. Guns weren't invented to target practice.

        Delete
      2. 1N2U3M4B5E6R7SFebruary 21, 2013 at 5:38 PM

        Wow... sole purpose killing people? Bigot...

        Delete
      3. UnknownApril 23, 2013 at 1:11 PM

        Well, he is correct about the reason for inventing the firearm. Originally, they were invented as a weapon of war. It was later on that they started using them for hunting too...

        Delete
      4. Vert DrakolApril 25, 2013 at 6:31 PM

        Yes.. noisy, horse scaring, smoky things that were best at hitting walls. not really much good in one to one combat as they were horribly inaccurate, unless you were in really close.

        Delete
      5. UnknownAugust 9, 2013 at 12:28 AM

        Ah, dahl, he didn't mention WHY guns were invented, Anony said their sole purpose is for killing people. Funny, I use mine for targets, not for killing people. If that were their only use, since there are MILLIONS of gun owners out there, then rational thinking would say there would be MILLIONS of murders. But then, some people are a little short on rational thinking, just emotional drivel. Not to mention people are also murdered with hammers, rocks, bats, knives, etc. etc. etc.

        Delete
    4. John HowardDecember 16, 2012 at 6:58 PM

      It would be good to know how many deaths-by-handgun were the result of a victim killing a perp. Somehow that is a number which is very difficult to find.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. RobDecember 17, 2012 at 11:54 AM

        Bingo. And it's that way on purpose.

        Delete
      2. AnonymousDecember 24, 2013 at 11:52 PM

        Is a killing done in self defense a homicide?

        Delete
      3. AnonymousMarch 19, 2014 at 1:35 PM

        I would think killings include everything, while murders on the other hand...you can figure it out.

        Delete
      4. AnonymousMay 16, 2014 at 1:16 AM

        Yes...it's justifiable homicide. Those numbers are probably baked in there as well...

        Delete
      5. MikeNovember 9, 2014 at 7:49 AM

        ...not only the self-defense homicides, but homicides from police and other law enforcement officers as well. The "handgun" statistics are heavily - very heavily - skewed to seem larger than they are. There should be at least three categories to fully understand the picture. For instance, every self-defense homicide is actually a potential innocent life (or lives) saved by the use of a handgun.

        Delete
    5. AnonymousDecember 16, 2012 at 11:37 PM

      look how many more murders there are with "knives or cutting instruments" than rifles. Point that out next time you hear some moron say "assault" rifles should be banned.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. GilDecember 17, 2012 at 12:48 AM

        Few people are killed (privately) with bombs and other ordnance - should they be free and legal to individuals who can afford them?

        Delete
      2. RobDecember 17, 2012 at 11:55 AM

        Yes.

        Delete
      3. J HuntMay 16, 2014 at 1:20 AM

        @Gil But rifles ARE legal, and VERY few are used to murder people...300-500. Hell, on average more than DOUBLE that number of people are killed by hands & feet!!! I geuss we should cut them off and ban them too! :-/

        Delete
    6. Daniel JonesDecember 17, 2012 at 12:17 AM

      i hate hearing the media say the killer used an 'assault weapon' and how we must reinstate the clinton assault weapons ban to stop future mass murders like this one in newtown ... and then fail to mention that connecticut has had the clinton assault weapons ban since 1994, ct state legislature made it permanant and it never expired here.

      we cant own the guns here that theyre claiming we can and enacting an assault weapons ban wouldnt change a single law in this state.

      ReplyDelete
    7. AnonymousDecember 17, 2012 at 4:14 AM

      Can you also post this on lewrockwell? We need to make these stats go viral to help win the pr war about assault rifles

      ReplyDelete
    8. Pete MooreDecember 17, 2012 at 4:40 AM

      Anon: "Also, for perspective, please list annual number of deaths due to car accidents, fires and... medical errors ..."

      We know the numbers for state medical errors and negligence here in the UK: 1000 a month, 12,000 a year.

      http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/doctors-basic-errors-are-killing-1000-patients-a-month-7939674.html

      Say the US population is 5 times greater, pro rata that would be 5000 a month and 60,000 a year over there. In plain contrast to Sandy Hook, this story of NHS mass-killing goes unremarked by the talking heads.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. UnknownDecember 17, 2012 at 11:02 AM

        I'm afraid that might be barking up the wrong tree. While it's tempting to say "we shouldn't adopt an NHS style health care system because of these preventable death statistics" it looks like the US actually has more preventable deaths per capita than the UK.

        http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408085458.htm
        http://www.justice.org/cps/rde/justice/hs.xsl/8677.htm

        That might still be a valid criticism of government intervention in the health care delivery system but it's not unique to the NHS.

        Delete
    9. AnonymousDecember 19, 2012 at 1:45 AM

      We really need to make this go viral bc the media is intentionally painting the picture that tons of people are killed every year with rifles instead of 358. I think this is the most damning counter point against the gun banning fascists.

      ReplyDelete
    10. AnonymousDecember 19, 2012 at 1:00 PM

      http://www.gallup.com/poll/150341/record-low-favor-handgun-ban.aspx

      Here is the reason "assault rifles" are targeted instead of the firearm involved in most murder - and usually related to fighting over drug turf - pistols. Check out the polling results. Most americans were opposed when this poll took place to banning "assault rifles," but close to 4/5 were opposed to banning pistols. It is the reason Sarah Brady had to rename "handgun control inc" and stop talking about banning pistols.

      ReplyDelete
    11. AnonymousDecember 20, 2012 at 2:59 AM

      http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-8

      Latest FBI stats that include 2011. 323 were murdered with a rifle in 2011!!!!!

      ReplyDelete
    12. AnonymousFebruary 17, 2013 at 2:37 AM

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      ReplyDelete
    13. Vert DrakolApril 25, 2013 at 6:19 PM

      one has to be careful of the aquintance data since often when asked did you know the person killed in gang related killings the answer was yes. so theyare marked as aquintance deaths.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. AnonymousDecember 24, 2013 at 11:58 PM

        When thug #1 blows thug #2's ass off, society is improved.

        Delete
    14. AnonymousJuly 15, 2013 at 12:26 PM

      It's odd how they never seem to mention how many of these homicides by firearms were committed by unregistered or stolen ones? Doesn't anyone recall that even police used to have a handy little "throw-down" they carried around with them, just to avoid inconvenient questions about "sudden-death-syndome" by police?

      ReplyDelete
    15. UnknownSeptember 13, 2013 at 3:02 AM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      ReplyDelete
    16. UnknownSeptember 13, 2013 at 3:18 AM

      Gun control only makes law abiding citizens suffer. If the criminal element want to obtain a gun they will continue to do so regardless of the law. Think about how long we've been fighting the war on drugs. If millions of tons of cocaine pot etc... can be smuggled in each year they can easily continue to gather illegal firearms. Then our women and children will be at the mercy of this new era. If some mentally deranged individual wants to mass murder innocent people thrill find a way look at Oklahoma bombing.

      ReplyDelete
    17. UnknownSeptember 13, 2013 at 3:24 AM

      But what possess me of most of all is that our government want to take our right to bare arms. Then turn around and provide rebels in other countries with military grade weapons and provisions. That could possibly be used against us in the future. Does that bother anyone else

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. UnknownMarch 22, 2016 at 7:59 AM

        No one said you could not have bare arms. If you don't want to have sleeves. just don't wear them and you will be able to have bare arms. or learn to spell to not make yourself look so stupid.

        Delete
    18. UnknownSeptember 13, 2013 at 4:08 AM

      Here's an idea if the government wants to get rid of potential deadly weapons for the better of mankind way don't they get rid of all those dam nuclear weapons.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. UnknownMarch 22, 2016 at 7:59 AM

        Great idea! The rest of the world would feel safer.

        Delete
    19. UnknownSeptember 13, 2013 at 4:12 AM

      They assault weapons that were used for drug turf wars were imported machine guns not the same spotter rifles they are trying to ban here in America

      ReplyDelete
    20. Liberty JerkSeptember 18, 2013 at 8:07 AM

      Other causes include: defenestration, eating paste, being sat on by Brad DeLong.

      ReplyDelete
    21. UnknownSeptember 20, 2013 at 11:05 AM

      Holy fudge. And my parents wonder why I am so paranoid and terrified all the time.

      ReplyDelete
    22. AnonymousOctober 7, 2013 at 10:04 AM

      So, what you're telling me is: We should ban handguns.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. AnonymousAugust 28, 2015 at 10:32 PM

        "We"? Does it include handguns carried by cops and other people in uniforms?

        No? Then you're not anti-gun. You're a uniform worshiper, a fascist.

        Delete
    23. UnknownOctober 26, 2013 at 3:59 PM

      No sir don't ban any gun. Ban; ignorance, infringement on all of our rights, but most of all ban tyranny sir

      ReplyDelete
    24. AnonymousNovember 8, 2013 at 5:37 AM

      Quote: "No sir don't ban any gun. Ban; ignorance, infringement on all of our rights, but most of all ban tyranny sir"

      That means we have to ban the Oblabbinator.

      ReplyDelete
    25. AnonymousDecember 9, 2013 at 4:15 PM

      Only about 10 people a year were poisoned? Now you know the best way to kill someone and get away with it.......There are probably 100's, If not 1000's of homicides by poison....not to mention those poisoned by drugs, legal and illegal....explosives only 1? What about all those car bombings we see in films...

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2015 at 2:05 PM

        "In films"... I think what happened to them is that they stayed in films.

        Delete
    26. AnonymousDecember 25, 2013 at 12:19 AM

      Did anyone hear any more about the gun shown in a photo in thug-in-training Trayvon's phone? If not, why not? Are they trying to hide something? The gun:
      https://www.google.com/search?q=Trayvon's+gun&newwindow=1&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=02a6Us-eOo7roASDnICwCw&ved=0CCkQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=576

      Trayvon's gun looks like the gun John Allen used to shoot an Oregon State trooper. The trooper lived; the criminal didn't. There are better photos around of the pistol, but here's one: (When I saw this gun I noticed it looked exactly like Trayvon's gun; and then I wondered why we never heard any more about Trayvon's gun.)
      http://photos.oregonlive.com/oregonian/2013/11/john_van_allen_ii_05.html

      Video of the shootout:
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLG3REw2l6E

      ReplyDelete
    27. UnknownJune 11, 2014 at 10:02 AM

      Those were striking stats. On one hand, I'm schocked with these hair-raising figures. On the other hand, I'm lucky to stumble upon this valuable page which I'll be able to use in my essays and research projects.

      ReplyDelete
    28. AnonymousJanuary 5, 2015 at 10:16 AM

      Murder rates have dropped in the last decade, but percentage of firearm ownership has gone up, so the correlation is inverse, to some degree. Seems there is the possibility, as the FBI points out in another report, that about 1.5 million times per year serious crime is deterred, just by brandishing a gun.

      ReplyDelete
    29. Conceerned about gun safetyOctober 7, 2015 at 2:52 AM

      Further data to contemplate: In 32% of the murders in 2010, no firearm was used at all. So, that means that in nearly 70% of murders (68%) there WAS A GUN USED! Why should that be good news?

      ReplyDelete
    30. David FOctober 18, 2015 at 3:46 PM

      The uk has 1/6 the population of the US, but have no where near 1/6 the homicides. Why? We've banned guns. Last year there were 551 homicides across the uk, of which 39 of them were caused by guns. Dumblain was the last nail in the coffin for guns in Britain. A school was shot up, so we banned guns. What does America do after columbine? Fits metal detectors in schools. It's almost funny, it's so stupid.

      ReplyDelete
    31. military cmrNovember 28, 2015 at 3:18 PM

      STATISTICS DON'T LIE, BUT LIARS ARE ALL STATISTICIANS. Thus without lots of breakouts and lots more details these stats mean little. Many defects have been mentioned here, but there are many more not mentioned at all. Alwasy beware of any supposedly true Statistics, especially those provided by the FBI, which is a political animal and hence often corrupted by politics of various sorts. "FounderChurch"

      ReplyDelete
    32. AnonymousJanuary 14, 2016 at 1:34 PM

      I'd like to respectfully add to this list as how Americans are killed in the US... add your own military pentagon with DARPA & NASA satellites UAV hoverers and 30,000 ore drones putout over our skies.. yes, cellphones with celltowers work with drones over our skies to silence slow to fast kill US citizens. Known as dissidents, I was in a lawsuit suing a corporation, not realizing they're run by a NWO black op Military. See my profile to the right at my site under my site icon. THey killed my husband, left him for dead and got away with it. I had 99% proof it was their fault.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. UnknownMarch 22, 2016 at 8:05 AM

        I have to wonder why they killed your husband and not you if you were the one involved in the lawsuit. Wouldn't it be more efficient to kill you?

        Delete
    33. anonymousJune 21, 2016 at 11:41 AM

      How can 2013 have only 2 from explosives when 3 people died from the explosions at the Boston Marathon? It has to be at least 3 - are they not counting them for a reason?

      ReplyDelete
    34. Kelly AnistonNovember 18, 2016 at 10:48 AM

      nice!

      ReplyDelete

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