As always, Phil Lee’s excellent research serves as a cinder block heaved mightily through the thin pane glass of relentless bullhuckey promulgated by the Violence Policy Center. Notes Phil:
VPC’s “1 in 5 cops killed with AWs” not true in 2005 — 87% of killers have criminal records
The federal ban on semi-automatic rifles sunsetted in 2004, shortly before the elections. For all of 2005, these “weapons of war” which are “favored by gangs” have been available for purchase by law-abiding citizens. Actually, they were available throughout the ban too except for lacking certain features such as bayonet lugs. The VPC claimed 1 in 5 police officers were killed by so-called assault weapons, so what has happened to police deaths since the ban lapsed?
In 2005, the FBI records exactly 3 police deaths resulting from criminal use of rifles — that is out of 50 from all all firearms (42 using handguns and 5 using shotguns). I don’t know how many of these 3 rifles were semi-automatic rifles with large replaceable magazines, pistol-grips and bayonet lugs — the FBI doesn’t say. You can see the FBI data yourself at:
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/killed/2005/table28.htmFewer were killed with rifles than were killed by deliberate assaults with vehicles.
Looking through the “Summaries of Officers Killed” at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/killed/2005/killedsummaries.htm
I count that 47 of the 54 killers (87%) had prior criminal records. In several of these instances lacking a prior record, the killer is not known with certainty.
Remember that the next time you read one of Josh Sugarmann’s nonsensical editorials or are confronted by the Brady faction’s troops.
[…] Pro-Gun Progressive notes that Violence Policy Center’s made ups statistic that 1 in 5 cops killed with weapons that look like assault weapons isn’t even affected by the sunset of the assault weapons ban: The VPC claimed 1 in 5 police officers were killed by so-called assault weapons, so what has happened to police deaths since the ban lapsed? […]
Pingback by SayUncle » The VPC’s alleged study - after the ban — November 1, 2006 @ 9:48 am
Those people never let facts get in the way of their impassioned pleas as they act on the behalf of “the majority of Marylanders” who want to be free of those “weapons of war” such as the “Streetsweeper” and the “bullethoses” that allow you to “spray fire from the hip” and cause “blood to run in the streets”
Comment by Paul — November 1, 2006 @ 10:22 am
The out and out lies about firearms and the nature of firearms violence is only matched by the ignorance of these groups. Fact is, VPC types probably don’t even know the difference between the different classes of weapons, the way NYT reporters will right a supposedly informed piece about the need to ban “semi-automatic revolvers.” Honestly, I’ve read that in their pages.
Look, how on earth are you going to walk around mugging folks with a rifle stuffed in your armpit? You’re not. That’s why so few gang-bangers or muggers use them. As I recall from reading, your more experienced criminals tend towards sawed-off shotguns or other high-powered weapons of the sort no one ever even thinks about banning.
Comment by Zak J. — November 2, 2006 @ 1:32 am
While Paul’s comment about the CeaseFire crowd and company may be correct, facts do matter to wider audiences. It is with the people in general we will win or lose.
Facts matter — if you are ignorant of facts then you are disarmed for the fight and you might as well stay home.
Comment by Phil Lee — November 7, 2006 @ 5:45 am
[…] 1) So-Called Assault Weapons aren’t actually used against police officers very often. Their own sidearms, vehicles, and shotguns kill way more officers than all rifles put together, let alone really scarey high powered evil black assault rifles. 2) 9mm pistols are NOT assault weapons (you’ll notice in the same breath he speaks about how scary so called assault weapons are for his officers, he mentions their upgrade to the 9mm service weapon). 3) The biggest source of crime guns in New York is…New York. […]
Pingback by Pro-Gun Progressive » Just a Reminder — July 27, 2007 @ 8:45 am
[…] Also, PGP noted that the VPC was grossly over exaggerating the number as more police were killed by vehicular assault than with rifles, much less semi-automatic rifles with bayonet lugs and pistol grips. […]
Pingback by SayUncle » Another alleged gun study from the Violence Policy Center goes *poof* — August 7, 2007 @ 7:36 am
[…] Gimme a break; as we’ve discussed here before, the Feds do include the various weapon types in their UCR crime compendiums. It’s a well established fact that rifles of all kinds are used in a teeny tiny fraction of all gun crimes. The Feds’ generally accepted number is that rifles of all kinds account for about 1% of gun crime. […]
Pingback by Pro-Gun Progressive » AP Anti Gun Bias (Again) — September 16, 2007 @ 2:25 pm