Buckeye Reporter

On June 4, 2024, a drive-by shooting in London left four people injured, including a nine-year-old girl who is now in serious condition. The incident occurred while the victims were sitting in a café, and the attacker was reportedly on a motorcycle. This event has reignited discussions about the effectiveness of gun-control laws.

Rob Morse argues that gun-control laws have failed to prevent such crimes. He notes that while some advocate for U.S. gun-control measures similar to those in Europe, they may not be aware of the varying levels of violence across different European cities. Morse highlights that London, with nearly 9 million residents, reported 43 stabbings daily and had a violent crime rate of 27 per 1,000 people in 2022.

Comparatively, Chicago—a city often cited for its high crime rates—had a violent crime rate of 10 per 1,000 people in 2019 despite being less than half the size of London. The overall violent crime rate in the U.S. was reported at 3.8 per 1,000 people in 2022.

Morse also points out that media coverage rarely includes instances where armed citizens successfully intervene in violent crimes. He cites an example from last week when an armed bystander assisted a police officer during a shooting incident in Pennsylvania.

"Details matter," Morse emphasizes. "Read deeply. We are different."

Rob Morse writes about gun rights at his SlowFacts blog and hosts the Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast as well as co-hosts the Polite Society Podcast.