Group: Gun Deaths in Arizona Top Road Fatalities
WASHINGTON - More Arizonans were killed by guns in 2009 than in motor-vehicle incidents, evidence of the need for stricter gun laws, according to a report released last week.
The report, by the Violence Policy Center, said Arizona was one of 10 states where firearm deaths outstripped traffic deaths in 2009, the most recent year for which numbers were available.
“Arizona needs to start looking seriously at the fact that it has a major gun-violence problem,” said Kristen Rand, legislative director for the center.
But an Arizona lawmaker who supports gun rights criticized the report’s “apple-and-oranges” comparison, which he said was simply designed to influence firearms legislation.
State Sen. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, said it is unfair to compare gun-related deaths to motor-vehicle deaths because most gun deaths are not accidental.
“Do you use a car in self-defense?” Antenori asked hypothetically.