Florida Gun Violence
Nothing could prepare travellers for what was coming on January 6, 2017: a 26-year-old man with a history of mental health issues simply began shooting in the Orlando airport. Injuries and deaths followed, along with incalculable psychological damage. Imagine living through that horrible day face to face with the violence. Imagine losing a loved one. Imagine the days to come.
Statistics
Gun violence: Although it is a difficult issue, recent events compel us to discuss it, especially considering the fact that Florida holds the ungainly distinction of leading the country in mass casualty deaths.
But mass shootings are not the singular issue here. Ninety-three people die every day in this country as a result of gun violence, seven of them children or teens; 216 others survive being shot. In a typical month, 50 women lose their lives through gun violence involving an intimate partner. Black men are 14 times more likely to be shot and killed with guns than their non-Hispanic white counterparts.
In Florida, firearms are involved in three-fourths of all homicides. Since 2000, murders involving guns have increased by 38 percent. Compared to national statistics of 10.3 firearms deaths per 100,000, Florida’s rate is 11.5 per 100,000. In 2014, the 25th highest rate of gun deaths per capita was held by the state of Florida. Indeed, Florida does have an unseemly relationship with guns.
Florida Gun Laws
Laws are in place to protect citizens from guns. There is a three-day waiting period before being allowed to buy a handgun, and a background check is required before guns can be sold among private parties. Dealers who sell firearms must be licensed, and all firearms must be registered. Laws forbid the possession or transfer of armor piercing and other types of bullets, although assault weapons, large capacity ammunition, and 50 caliber rifles are available (though regulated). Individuals may carry concealed weapons, but they must have a special concealed weapon license.
How to Proceed After Gun Violence Impacts Your Life
We know that gun violence is a fact of life in this nation in general, and in Florida in particular. Sometimes the violence is a mass incident; sometimes a lone criminal fires a gun in the commission of a crime. People fight and pull out weapons, and poorly secured weapons are discovered by children who have no idea of the power in their hands. Hunters have accidents and law enforcement officers shoot victims. Every injury caused by a gun, every death, is its own particular brand of tragedy. If you are engulfed with the wretchedness of a gun incident, your emotions are likely a raw mixture of confusion, sorrow and rage. This is exactly the time that you need steady, experienced legal help.
At the office of Barbas, Nuñez, Sanders, Butler & Hovsepian in Tampa, we know how to handle your case gently and aggressively at the same time. We understand your pain, and we know how to fight for justice in a court of law. Contact our knowledgeable, compassionate team today for a no-cost, confidential consultation.
Resources:
everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/
smartgunlaws.org/gun-laws/state-law/florida/
