Alabama ranks second in gun deaths

Colbert County Coroner Carlton Utley said he wasn't surprised to learn Alabama is second in the nation in gun-related deaths.

"I'd say that most of those are due to suicides," Utley said. "Last year, we had more than 30 suicides (in Colbert County) and all were gun-related. Around here, we don't see a lot of accidental discharges that result in fatalities, and although we have our share of homicides, we don't have as many as some places in the state."

According to national statistics recently released by the Violence Policy Center, Louisiana had the highest per capita gun death rates with 19.58 percent per 100,000 people. Alabama was second with 16.99 percent per 100,000.

"Whether it's homicides, suicides or accidental, what this report shows is states where there are higher rates of gun ownership, there is a higher risk of a gun-related death," said Kristen Rand, the legislative director for the Violence Policy Center.

She said, for example, that in Louisiana, 45.6 percent of households have guns. In Alabama 57.2 percent of households have guns. In contrast, Rand said Hawaii has the lowest household gun ownership in the nation and also has the lowest gun death rate at 2.58 percent per 100,000 people.

"Basically speaking, more guns means more gun death and injury, while fewer guns means less gun death and injury. It's a simple equation," Rand said.

She said statistics indicate 30,000 times a year there is a homicide, suicide or unintentional injury. "Only 200 a year successfully use a gun to kill someone in self-defense."

Rand said the Violence Policy Center is trying to get people to realize the dangers of guns and is trying to work with states to tighten gun laws and restrictions.

"Gun death is not like the weather, where the general public believes there is no way to control it; these stats prove that wrong. There is a way to control it," she said. "We're not saying not to have guns, but restrict the availability of them and the types."

She said surveys reveal that handguns are more associated with gun deaths than long guns.

"So, what we suggest is to get rid of the high fire powered handguns and restrict handgun access," she said. "You do that, you can keep down gun deaths."

Lee Smith, a firearms safety instructor and a member of the Florence Police Department, said gun laws generally have gotten stricter across the nation.

He said one of the big issues is for people who own guns to learn to use and operate them safely and "use common sense" in handling them.

"Accidents do happen, but a lot of accidents are due to negligence," Smith said. "The bottom line is if you follow the right rules, nothing should go wrong and no one should get hurt. There is a safety protocol for everything.

"You treat (the weapons) as if they were loaded even when they're not and never put your finger on the trigger or point at someone. When you follow those rules, you're not going to get hurt."

Lawrence County resident Heath Potter grew up hunting with his father and grandfather and now enjoys hunting with his two sons. He learned gun safety from his father and grandfather and now is passing that on to his sons.

"We hunt together and I constantly make them aware of the dangers associated with guns and to be cautious," Potter said.

"My sons would not go with me if they were not aware of the safety issues. We also talk about safety when the weapons are at home."

He said all of the guns he and his sons own are in a gun safe and unloaded.

"You have to respect the weapons. That's the key," he said. "There are so many gun-related deaths in the U.S. because people don't respect guns."

Rand said there are more and more guns available on the streets and that issue needs to be addressed.

"We need a national approach to this problem," she said. "Part of this is for people to appreciate the risk associated with owning or having a gun in their home. They bring a gun into the home thinking they are going to protect themselves, but it is more likely to be used against someone in a homicide or in a suicide, not against some hardened criminal out on the prowl."

She said the Violence Policy Center is publishing its survey findings to bring awareness to the issue.

"Gun violence is a growing public health problem and it is preventable," Rand said. "There are answers on how to prevent gun deaths and we need to look at it from that point of view. We need to treat this like any other product-related death or public health risk."

Utley said he is a firm believer in a person's right to carry a gun. He said we also must remember that "it's people who kill people, not the weapon."

"Guns are not toys," Potter added. "But when they are used properly and with caution, they don't have to be deadly."

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.