Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
One in Five Law Enforcement Officers Slain in the Line of Duty Felled by an Assault Weapon
Washington, DCAs National Police Week begins in Washington, DC, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released new research showing that in 2014, the most recent year for which information is available, one in five law enforcement officers slain in the line of duty were killed with an assault weapon. In addition, in half of the assault weapon incidents, a bullet penetrated the officers body armor. As seen in the graphic below, 47 officers were slain in the line of duty in the United States in 2014. Ten were killed with assault weapons. In five of those incidents the bullet penetrated the officers body armor. The VPC analyzed unpublished data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) along with data published in the FBIs Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2014.
This new data demonstrates the special risk that assault weapons pose to officer safety, states VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand, adding, Effective assault weapons bans can decrease this risk and save the lives of first responders.
http://www.vpc.org/press/new-data-shows-one-in-five-law-enforcement-officers-slain-in-the-line-of-duty-felled-by-an-assault-weapon/
This new data demonstrates the special risk that assault weapons pose to officer safety, states VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand, adding, Effective assault weapons bans can decrease this risk and save the lives of first responders.
http://www.vpc.org/press/new-data-shows-one-in-five-law-enforcement-officers-slain-in-the-line-of-duty-felled-by-an-assault-weapon/
"But, but they are NOT assault weapons," cry the NRA puppets and Second Amendment absolutists. "They are used for benign purposes and never used for violence," is the go-to talking point of the ALEC/ILA "guns are good" propagandists.
The anticipated response from the gun worshipers is that ONLY 10 cops were killed, and that is an insignificant number when weighed against the "right to bear arms." 10 cops here, 50 LGBT people there, 20 school kids, and all of the others killed and their families, friends, and neighbors, and the numbers are no longer "insignificant."
Support the brave Democrats who are standing up to the right-wing gun lobby and the NRA at all levels of our government, and especially those who are making their voices heard in Congress. Vote to put an end to the gun madness in this country. Vote for real Democrats.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 1878 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (6)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
One in Five Law Enforcement Officers Slain in the Line of Duty Felled by an Assault Weapon (Original Post)
billh58
Jun 2016
OP
jimmy the one
(2,717 posts)1. update needed, vpc, sad to say
47 officers were slain in the line of duty in the United States in 2014. Ten were killed with assault weapons. In five of those incidents the bullet penetrated the officers body armor.
VPC probably gonna have to adjust this graph, sad to say.
Half that number were gunned to death in just one day with an assault rifle with superior ability to pierce bullet vests.
This new data demonstrates the special risk that assault weapons pose to officer safety, states VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand, adding, Effective assault weapons bans can decrease this risk and save the lives of first responders.
VPC probably gonna have to adjust this graph, sad to say.
Half that number were gunned to death in just one day with an assault rifle with superior ability to pierce bullet vests.
This new data demonstrates the special risk that assault weapons pose to officer safety, states VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand, adding, Effective assault weapons bans can decrease this risk and save the lives of first responders.
billh58
(6,641 posts)2. No amount of damage control
by the right-wing gunners can cover up this sad state of gun violence affairs.