What Americans Get Wrong About School Shootings
Bubba
18 Dec
In the wake of yet another school shooting Monday, a new survey sheds light on some misperceptions about gun violence. (The Daily Signal)
The latest: A 15-year-old girl fatally shot a teacher and a fellow student at at Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin.
The suspect also wounded six others, and then killed herself.
The numbers: According to a new poll conducted by RMG Research Inc., 35% of registered voters wrongly believe school shootings cause more gun deaths than gang violence.
An RMG Research poll conducted in September found 42% of voters mistakenly believe school shootings are the leading cause of gun deaths in the U.S.
Per CDC data, less than 0.1% of the 46,000+ gun deaths in 2023 were school shooting-related.
Only 16% of respondents in RMG’s survey correctly identified suicide as the leading cause of American gun deaths.
On the other hand: According to the gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, there have been 205 incidents of gunfire on school grounds this year, surpassing the previous record of 199 incidents set in 2021.
These shootings have resulted in 58 deaths and 156 injuries.
95% of U.S. public schools now conduct lockdown drills.