https://www.texastribune.org/2022/07/28/texas-gun-stats/

Join us as we discuss the article from the Texas Tribune titled ‘Texas’ complex relationship with firearms: Leading America in gun sales, but with a declining gun ownership rate.’ We discuss the varied data that the article lays out and how the issue of gun ownership in Texas is a complicated one. Some points of interest that stuck out to us were:

• Background checks for gun purchases rise after mass shootings.
• More guns were purchased during the pandemic than any time this century.
• Population growth is outpacing the rate of household gun ownership and Texas is in the middle of the pack when it comes to gun ownership.
• However, because of our large population and lax gun laws, more guns are purchased here than any other state.
• Black Texans are more likely to be killed by homicide with a gun.
• White Texans are more likely to die by suicide with a gun.
• Urban Texas and rural Texas have different issues.

The most direct and striking correlation that can be made is that more guns lead to more deaths. With the Texas 88th Legislative Session starting in January 2023 we are eager to see what legislation rises to attention around gun violence.