Earlier that morning, Woodham had stabbed his mother to death. Wurst had just killed one teacher, wounded another and wounded two classmates. In 1994, fatal gun accidents reached the lowest annual level since record-keeping began, in 1903. They dropped, again, in 1995, were lower still in 1996 and even lower in 1997. Motor vehicle accidents, falls, fires, drownings, poisonings, suffocation and other accidents each accounted for more deaths than did firearm accidents.
Suicide rates fluctuate independently of gun laws and gun ownership.
Banning guns will not affect the suicide rate. Other, equally-deadly implements are substituted in their place. Of 6,000 students caught at school with guns in the past 2 years, the Clinton administration prosecuted only 13. It is a crime for a felon to buy a gun. Zero Brady rejects were prosecuted by the Clinton administration in 1996, zero in 1997, and zero in 1998.