Here’s a look at domestic shootings and gun laws, focusing on three states, but touching on several others from 2006 to 2014.
Massachusetts Has Tough Gun Laws, Fewer Domestic Killings
BOSTON—Massachusetts has some of the toughest gun laws in the country and relatively few fatal domestic violence shootings of states with similar populations. Here’s a look at the number of killings and the laws meant to help curb the violence in the state:
Women at Risk
Women are far more likely to be the victims of fatal domestic violence shootings, according to FBI statistics.
Of such 31 killings in Massachusetts from 2006 to 2014, only two were men—both husbands.
Of the remaining 29, 14 were girlfriends, 11 were wives, three were former wives and one was a common-law wife.
2007 was the deadliest year during the time period, with 11 gun-related domestic violence killings reported in Massachusetts, twice as many as any other year.
Massachusetts vs. Other States
Massachusetts, with some of the country’s toughest gun laws, has far fewer gun-related domestic violence killings compared to states of a similar size.
Arizona, for example, had nearly the same population as Massachusetts in 2014—about 6.7 million—and reported 201 gun-related domestic violence killings from 2006 to 2014.
That’s more than six times as many as the 31 killings in Massachusetts.
Tennessee, another state with nearly the same population as Massachusetts—about 6.5 million—recorded 258 gun-related domestic violence killings during the same time period. That’s eight times as many as in Massachusetts.
Gun Rules for Domestic Abusers
Massachusetts has relatively strict laws when it comes to keeping guns away from those accused of abuse.
Judges are required to order the surrender of all “firearms, rifles, shotguns, machine guns and ammunition” when issuing a domestic abuse restraining order.
