What percentage of gunshot wounds are fatal?

[Gunservant]

Morning folks!

I am looking for statistics regarding the percentage of gunshot wounds that end up being fatal. I recall it is a significantly small amount (unless you are shot point-blank at the back of the head: BigT). I could only find one or two articles with Google. Any help will be much appreciated!

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_perce...unds_are_fatal
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/ny...shot.html?_r=0



Your faithful servant,

MS (formerly IPS)

[LocknLoad]

Morning folks!

I am looking for statistics regarding the percentage of gunshot wounds that end up being fatal. I recall it is a significantly small amount (unless you are shot point-blank at the back of the head: BigT). I could only find one or two articles with Google. Any help will be much appreciated!

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_perce...unds_are_fatal
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/ny...shot.html?_r=0



Your faithful servant,

MS (formerly IPS)

OT:
I thought that avatar looked familiar, thought it must just be popular or something. Makes sense now..

[Wanderin' Zero]

Morning folks!

I am looking for statistics regarding the percentage of gunshot wounds that end up being fatal. I recall it is a significantly small amount (unless you are shot point-blank at the back of the head: BigT). I could only find one or two articles with Google. Any help will be much appreciated!

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_perce...unds_are_fatal
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/ny...shot.html?_r=0



Your faithful servant,

MS (formerly IPS)

I tend to think you had better separate that by calibre categories first. There is a heck of a difference in mortality rate between people shot with .32 acp and people shot with .50 BMG.

[Gunservant]

OK, good and fair point WZ.

What I am specifically trying to find are gunshot wounds received during an attack, thus excluding accidents, negligence and suicides. Calibre categories can be restricted to pretty much all handgun calibres...since this is what our crims mostly use in their day-to-day shopping sprees.

[P35]

The better the shot - the higher the rate of fatality.

For example: how many first shots are fatal in hunting - most.

The stats also do not take into consideration people who die as a result of injuries sustained because of a gun shot wound, those deaths are due to the trauma it caused on the human body that often cannot be fixed - and eventually kills the victim over time.

The stats are US based, so you also need to take into consideration the quality and availability of immediate medical and trauma care of patients.

Africa's stats will differ.

[P35]

What I am specifically trying to find are gunshot wounds received during an attack

If anyone had to attack me, I dont think he'll stumble further than a meter or so, and I dont think he's ever going to see day light again either.

I would not even maim any wild predator that attacks me - as I believe its simply inhumane to do so.

[Springer]

LOL. methinks you're going to be sorry you asked.

[Gunservant]

The better the shot - the higher the rate of fatality.

For example: how many first shots are fatal in hunting - most.

The stats also do not take into consideration people who die as a result of injuries sustained because of a gun shot wound, those deaths are due to the trauma it caused on the human body that often cannot be fixed - and eventually kills the victim over time.

The stats are US based, so you also need to take into consideration the quality and availability of immediate medical and trauma care of patients.

Africa's stats will differ.

This is exactly why I need statistics pertaining to South Africa. The statistics themselves will describe the spread and variability of fatal incidents, and so doing at least create an "average" picture, taking into account how good one shot is and how poor another is.

[P35]

3 factors.

- How poor or good SA shots are

- How poor or good medical care is/and how quick the victim can get to that care

- How many people in SA are able and willing to defend themselves with a firearm in an unprovoked attack.

Again IMHO maiming any predator that attacks you is inhumane.

[P35]

By the way if you are one of those people who maim predators that attack you - make sure your grandfather left you a huge trust fund, if you live in South Africa.


You'll need every cent of it to pay the person who attacked you.

If you intend to own a firearm but you're not prepared to stop an unprovoked attack till the threat is gone - dont buy a firearm.

Because the chances are good you will be the one who ends up on the cold slate.

Africa is different to the US in many ways.