Do they do this on purpose or are they just hapless

boogerhook · Apr 11, 2015

Years ago USA today created a presentation on mass murders in the US, based on FBI data. To their credit, they keep updating the data which is helpful. One of my issues is the page on weapon types. Not kidding they are still claiming that AR pistols and AR rifles (or any other semiautomatic sporting rifle) are "Automatic".

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/mass-killings/index.html#title

By now, someone would have clarified that, or no? Do they maintain this misinformation on purpose? This is how you get people to vote for "assault rifle" bans.

UPDATE: I got an email from USA Today that explains, so I am taking it back. Here is their response:

Thanks for getting in touch with us about our on-going investigative story, "Behind the Bloodshed." To ensure the accuracy of our reporting we encourage and appreciate reader input.
As you point out, the term "Assault Rifle" is often misused, and for that reason we consulted on the classification of murder weapons, with Sgt. Ken Berger of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department. He is the firearms expert with the Special Investigations Division/Firearms Investigations Unit, and he helped us classify the guns noted in our study.
With respect to the firearms used during mass killings: we did come across three fully automatic weapons. The two "assault pistols" (via Sgt. Berger) were both fully automatic - a Cobray 9mm assault pistol and a Tec-9 (Intratech) 9mm. The "Assault Rifle" used was a Norinco Arms Mak 90 semi-automatic rifle (7.62x39mm), illegally modified by an unknown gunsmith into a fully automatic rifle.
I hope that helps clear things up and that you will contact us again if you feel a story we report is inaccurate.
Regards,

BearSlayer338 · Apr 11, 2015

Nothing political is done by chance,if they can trick ignorant people into thinking AR-15's have full auto capabilities so they can push a ban they will.

U201491 · Apr 11, 2015

It is what they do.
Why do you think I am so damned hell bent on exposing the liberal leftist Marxist/communistSocialist Pieces of ______________.
It isn't all just about guns, it ends up there because of the warp and twist they put in people's minds and destroy our youth with their brainwashing from kindergarten up through college.

All too many want to stop that exposure, so it makes it one damned tough road to travel.

Riot · Apr 12, 2015

Liberals be like...

tiggers97 · Apr 12, 2015

Yes, because of the rash in banzai attacks I've seen on TV we all need to ban the bayonet mount..... for the children. Oh, and I support the 2nd amendment, but..... no one needs a gun with a 30-second clipazine that can kill automatically, or semi-automatically, and is only designed to kill the largest of people (and puppies) in a non-second... unless your from the government then its ok because you've had special training, like Gandalf the wizard.

Did I miss anything?

On a more serious note, here's what an actual criminologist had to say about mass shootings.
http://reason.com/archives/2014/10/28/the-truth-about-mass-public-shootings#.geijuv:9fxI

Riot · Apr 12, 2015

tiggers97 said:
Yes, because of the rash in banzai attacks, we all need to ban the bayonet mount.....

The funniest part about that is the fact that they've highlighted the front sling mount...

boogerhook · Apr 14, 2015

to my surprise I did get a reply from USA Today, it reads as follows:

Thanks for getting in touch with us about our on-going investigative story, "Behind the Bloodshed." To ensure the accuracy of our reporting we encourage and appreciate reader input.
As you point out, the term "Assault Rifle" is often misused, and for that reason we consulted on the classification of murder weapons, with Sgt. Ken Berger of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Police Department. He is the firearms expert with the Special Investigations Division/Firearms Investigations Unit, and he helped us classify the guns noted in our study.
With respect to the firearms used during mass killings: we did come across three fully automatic weapons. The two "assault pistols" (via Sgt. Berger) were both fully automatic - a Cobray 9mm assault pistol and a Tec-9 (Intratech) 9mm. The "Assault Rifle" used was a Norinco Arms Mak 90 semi-automatic rifle (7.62x39mm), illegally modified by an unknown gunsmith into a fully automatic rifle.
I hope that helps clear things up and that you will contact us again if you feel a story we report is inaccurate.
Regards,

now the only confusing part is the underlying graphics...

RicInOR · Apr 14, 2015

If I count just "shootings" then since 2006 there have been 1033 victims.

I know that is a scary number.

When I move the slider, the maximum number for one event is 32.

I know that is a scary number.

Meanwhile:
One event this past month
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/german-plane-crash
A mass-murderer took out 150 people. One event 150 killed.
I don't see this referred to in that way, it was a tragic suicide.

On one day, 9/11, 4 events 2977 victims.

Perspective:
3,000 people die in car accidents daily. 1) Every day more people are killed in auto related deaths than in the 9/11 attacks on America. Of these world wide deaths,
110 people die every day in the United States which works out to 40,000 people a year.
Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/16429/cras...e-in-car-accidents-daily/#0o8OPsc51QS5Ms0w.99

boogerhook · Apr 14, 2015

In the small country of Norway Brevik killed 70 people. That's a hell of a rate per 5m people. I actually like that USA Today puts these together and keeps maintaining it. It clearly shows that ARs and similar rifles are not the issue, it's hand guns - if you must blame a category of weapon. I take issue with the use of the term "Assault Rifle" and "Assault Pistol". Because we keep reading these almost everytime when an AR15 or an AK47 is used. The response by USA Today to my question clarifies, that the 1 event an Assault Rifle was used, was at the IHOP (it was a modified semi to go full auto). The 2 events Assault Pistols were used are not confirmed. The Tec-9 mentioned is probably the one used at Columbine (that was a semi) and the Cobray was probably the one used at a Boston shooting on 9/28/2010. The weapon was never recovered but appeared to also have been a semi-auto. I wish they took the term "assault riffle" off the table and just call the guns what they are, not what they are not.

I agree with you that in perspective mass shootings are rare, approximately 100-200 killed per year is not that many compared to a lot of other incidents and ways to die. Good article on this subject

https://kontradictions.wordpress.co...ew-the-assault-weapons-ban-well-ill-tell-you/