Analysis find guns used more in suicide than homicide in Colorado

During the 12-year span between the mass shootings at Columbine and Aurora, Coloradans used guns to kill themselves about four times more frequently than they used them to kill each other, an I-News analysis of death certificates found.

The analysis, which covered the years 2000 through 2011, also found that white residents disproportionately committed suicides with guns while minorities were disproportionately victims of homicide shootings.

Suicides accounted for 76 percent of the 6,258 deaths from guns over the 12 years, while homicides comprised 20 percent. The rest were either accidental, legal shootings by law enforcement officers, or unexplained. Nationally, about 60 percent of gun deaths are suicides.

Gun suicides were disproportionately committed by white residents, while homicide victims were predominately minority. White residents, who make up 70 percent of the state's population, accounted for 88 percent of the gun suicides. On the other hand, 58 percent of homicide victims were minorities, who comprise 30 percent of the state's residents. Blacks were victims in 21 percent of the homicides, but only make up 4 percent of Colorado's population. Latinos were victims in 34 percent of homicides, while comprising 21 percent of the state's population.

Read More: http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_22751095/analysis-find-guns-used-more-suicide-than-homicide