‘Way too many guns around’: experts say firearm access key factor in spate of US family killings
Acts of ‘familicide’ have increased dramatically this year – in the US, the killer is more likely to have easy access to a gun The US is often known globally for its shocking levels of violence, but acts of “family annihilation” or “familicide” rank among the most disturbing of crimes. They occur when an assailant kills four or more of their own family members and often see the killer also kill…
This year, the number of acts of "family annihilation" or "familicide" in the United States has significantly increased, according to data from Northeastern University. These rare but shocking mass killings, where a perpetrator kills four or more members of their own family and often takes their own life, have occurred across the country.
In June, Ryan McFarland shot and killed his wife and five family members in Muscatine, Iowa, following a domestic dispute. In Montana, Alan Smith killed four generations of his family at a Sunday dinner, including four children. Experts attribute these incidents to factors such as family estrangement, financial stress, and marital disputes, but a key factor is the easy access to firearms in the United States.
Jacquelyn Campbell, a Johns Hopkins University professor of nursing, explains that when someone is in a state of rage, guns are often quickly picked up and used. Doreen Dodgen-Magee, a psychologist whose sister-in-law and three nieces were killed in a shooting, emphasizes the lethality and impulsivity that firearms introduce in these situations.
Many states have red flag laws allowing authorities or family members to petition a judge to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed at risk. However, some Republican-led states have passed laws banning these protective orders. Research suggests that red flag laws can effectively reduce firearm suicides, with a study finding a 3.79 incident reduction per 100,000 people in states with such laws.
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