A recent shooting that saw a man shoot and kill his girlfriend and five others before turning the gun on himself has raised concerns about the link between domestic violence and mass murder. The tragic event took place at a birthday party and represents the fourth deadliest shooting in Colorado history. Children who were also inside the house were spared.
Everytown for Gun Safety already sounded the alarm on the potential connection between the two crimes based on research conducted by the gun advocacy group. The study revealed that more than half of mass shootings are the result of a history of domestic violence.
A potential link
The Colorado Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board’s annual report showed 60 incidents of domestic violence that resulted in 70 fatalities two years ago, representing a more than 60% increase from 2018. 64% of the deaths were from gunshots.
When news breaks about mass shootings, the settings of those horrific events are usually in public places. However, those tragedies are less likely to happen than in homes that account for 61 percent of incidents where multiple people are killed.
Even more tragic are the apparent warning signs that often lead up to mass shootings. Nearly every time before a mass shooting, friends, loved ones, and fellow employees are aware of abusive acts yet fail to intervene.
Not all people who face domestic violence accusations are on the path to committing mass shootings, let alone guilty of the crimes. The help of a criminal defense attorney can get past the emotionally charged issues and get to the facts.