Mass Shootings and Gun Laws - 2015 Compilation Infographic

Full description. The topic of gun control is closely related to mass shooting incidents. For the last few years, citizens and politicians have debated the merits of restricting access to firearms in order to foster safety in public places, schools and private residences. In 2015 alone, there were hundreds of shootings and almost thirty that were considered a "mass shooting." Many people are therefore wondering if gun laws are related to shootings, and if a pattern exists. This topic is important because gun control is strictly related to the 2nd amendment right to bear arms.

What's included. This long infographic lists every mass shooting in the calendar year of 2015. For each incident, a wide variety of data and information is included, followed by the gun laws for that state. A nationwide map of mass shootings is also referenced.

1. What is a "mass shooting?": While there is no exact definition everyone agrees on, for the context of this infographic a mass shooting is defined as an act of gun violence in which at least four people were killed, including the shooter. In 2015, there were a total of 27 mass shootings (according to the definition).
2. National trends: In 2015, Texas had the most mass shootings with four. Both Georgia and South Carolina had three and various other states a few.
3. Incident report: For each of the incidents (plus two additional non-mass shootings), the following details are listed: date, address, brief summary, shooter's name(s), suspect status, weapon type, motive, victim list, gun ownership status, as well as the applicable state gun laws (ranked by leniency).
4. Results: As the data shows, even states with strict gun laws had a number of incidents (California for example); however, this may be due to the fact that there is a higher population in these areas.

The political battle of gun control is still raging in 2017, and more mass shootings are only going to further the conversation. If you enjoyed this infographic, check out some of our other ones and make sure to share it.