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Does NH need to address mass shootings?

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Many people in the United States believe mass shootings are on the rise. However, the problem is difficult to measure and complex to address.

The trouble with measuring mass shootings

There is no formal, universal definition of a mass shooting, which makes the problem difficult to measure.

There is only one legal definition that comes close. A federal law, passed in 2013, defines a “mass killing” as “3 or more killings in a single incident.” That law governs when federal officials can assist in the investigation of such a crime.

People who study mass shootings have used similar definitions. For example, in 2017 the Washington Post defined a mass shooting as an incident where “four or more people were killed by a lone shooter (two shooters in a few cases).”  Using that definition, the Washington Post concluded that mass shootings have increased and become more deadly over the past five decades.

That definition fails to reflect people wounded in a shooting, however.

People who study mass shootings also disagree on whether they should include gang violence, religious terrorism, family killings at home, and school shootings all within the same category. (The Washington Post excluded robberies and gang violence.)

After examining many studies of mass shootings, the nonprofit RAND Corporation concluded that there is no clear evidence that mass shootings have either increased or decreased over the past few decades.

Mass shootings in New Hampshire

By almost any definition, there has not been a mass shooting in New Hampshire in over twenty years.

In 1997 resident Carl Drega killed two state troopers, a judge, and a newspaper editor in Colebrook, New Hampshire. He was killed in a shootout with police.

There have been other threats of mass violence, however. For example, in 2018 Weare cancelled school after a threat was found on a cafeteria table. A couple of months later Timberlane High School in Plaistow announced that two bullets turned up in the school lost and found.

What should NH do?

Although there are no recent mass shootings in New Hampshire, some policymakers still believe there is an unacceptable risk of violence. Some of those policymakers advocate for stronger gun control.

Click here to learn more about the debate over gun laws in New Hampshire

In 2018 the New Hampshire Legislature also passed a bill to increase funding for public school security projects.

Others advocates argue that New Hampshire can lower the risk of a mass shooting by increasing funding for mental health programs.

Click here to learn more about the debate over mental health treatment in New Hampshire

On the other end of the spectrum, some policymakers argue that there are more important and deadlier issues to address, such as the opioid addiction epidemic. After all, last year almost 500 people died from drug overdoses in New Hampshire.

Click here to learn more about the debate over addiction treatment funding

Do you think New Hampshire needs to address the threat of mass shootings? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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