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For Immediate Release
July, 22 2009, 12:37pm EDT
Contact:
Mandy Wimmer, Communications Associate, 202-822-8200 x110, mwimmer@vpc.org
Violence Policy Center Statement on Defeat of Thune Amendment Creating National Concealed Handgun System
Following today's Senate vote defeating the Thune
Amendment, which would have created a nationalized concealed handgun permitting
system, the Violence
Policy Center
issued the following statement by VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand:
"Today's Senate vote is a victory for those who
support a sane national gun policy.
"Concealed carry permit holders have already killed
police officers, murdered innocent citizens, and committed mass
shootings.
WASHINGTON
Following today's Senate vote defeating the Thune
Amendment, which would have created a nationalized concealed handgun permitting
system, the Violence
Policy Center
issued the following statement by VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand:
"Today's Senate vote is a victory for those who
support a sane national gun policy.
"Concealed carry permit holders have already killed
police officers, murdered innocent citizens, and committed mass
shootings.
"The Thune Amendment would have nullified laws in
states such as New York and California that have tough standards for the
issuance of concealed handgun permits. Those states would have been
forced to allow the carrying of concealed handguns within their borders by
people with permits issued by states with the lowest standards, such as Idaho and Florida.
The amendment would have also undermined state assault weapons bans because it
would have allowed permit holders to carry concealed assault weapons into the
seven states that currently ban these guns.
"The danger of the Thune amendment is demonstrated by
the fact that proponents of a nationalized concealed carry system argue that
lax concealed handgun laws are the answer to mass shootings, but the hard facts
are that concealed handgun permit holders do not prevent mass shootings, they
perpetrate them."
Earlier this week, the VPC released a new study (https://www.vpc.org/studies/ccw2009.pdf)
showing that concealed handgun permit holders killed at least seven police
officers and 44 private citizens in 31 incidents during the period May 2007
through April 2009. Among the study's findings--
o Over the two-year period May 2007 through April 2009,
concealed handgun permit holders have slain seven law enforcement officers
resulting in criminal charges or the suicide of the shooter. All of the
killings were committed with guns. An additional three law enforcement
officers were injured in these incidents.
o Over the two-year period May 2007 through April
2009, concealed handgun permit holders have slain at least 44 private citizens
resulting in criminal charges or the suicide of the shooter. All but one
of the killings were committed with guns. An additional six private
citizens were injured in these incidents.
o In six of the 31 incidents (19 percent), the
concealed handgun permit holder killed himself, bringing the total fatality
count to 57.
o Five of the incidents were mass shootings resulting
in the deaths of 23 victims.
The Violence Policy Center (VPC) works to stop gun death and injury through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration. Founded in 1988 by Executive Director Josh Sugarmann, a native of Newtown, Connecticut, the VPC informs the public about the impact of gun violence on their daily lives, exposes the profit-driven marketing and lobbying activities of the firearms industry and gun lobby, offers unique technical expertise to policymakers, organizations, and advocates on the federal, state, and local levels, and works for policy changes that save lives. The VPC has a long and proven record of policy successes on the federal, state, and local levels, leading the National Rifle Association to acknowledge us as "the most effective ... anti-gun rabble-rouser in Washington."
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