Study suggests gun-free zones do not attract mass shootings
Quick Summary
- While gun-free zones have often been blamed for making schools, malls and other public areas more attractive to shooters, new research finds that gun-free zones may, in fact, reduce the risk of mass shootings.
- Gun-free zones don't attract active shooters.
News Preview
UC Davis Health News covered the publication of new CVP research that used a unique study design to compare the risk of active shootings in gun-free zones as compared to gun-allowing establishments. “After accounting for matched pairs, our analyses showed that active shootings were 62.5% less likely to occur in gun-free establishments than in gun-allowing places,” said Paul Reeping, lead author of the study and CVP postdoctoral scholar.
Reeping explained the findings, which could have significant policy implications: “Our most significant finding is that gun-free zones don't attract active shooters. The study actually shows that gun-free zones have a preventive effect. The biggest takeaway is that the claim that gun-free zones are more dangerous is simply not true.”
The study included researchers from Columbia University and the University of Michigan.
Learn More
- Read the article in UC Davis Health News
- Read the study in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas
- View the visual abstract for this study, also available in our visual abstract archive
