Gun Control Myth Three: Guns are if little help in defending against criminals

This myth goes hand in hand with the second myth – that being that gun control laws reduce crime. The truth is that guns in private hands are quite helpful in defending against criminals, especially if they are armed.

Additionally, US Bureau of Justice Statistics show that guns are the safest and most effective means of defense. Using a gun for protection results in fewer injuries to the defender than using any other means of defense and is safer than not resisting at all.

There is also the argument that guns as self defense are not effective as it can result in the gun owner accidentally shooting the wrong person. But statistics show this not to be the case. Studies show that about 11 percent of police
shootings kill an innocent person – about 2 percent of shootings by citizens kill an innocent person. The odds of a defensive gun user killing an innocent person are less than 1 in 26,000 (Kleck G. Point Blank: Guns and Violence in America. New York: Aldine de Gruyter. 1991.)