SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Recent back-to-back mass shootings in California are reigniting the debate over gun control.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, for example, says California’s strict policies are working but others disagree.
California is the largest state by population, so it’s not surprising it's home to the most mass shootings in the country, according to the Gun Violence Archive. But when broken down per capita, it paints a different picture.
Three mass shootings in California in a matter of days.
- Monterey Park: 11 killed
- Half Moon Bay: seven killed
- Oakland: one killed, seven more shot
"The reason I haven't done all the damn press conferences yesterday - I was here the whole day - is I can't do those again," said Newsom. "I can't keep doing the same, saying the same thing, over and over again. I mean, it's insane."
Almost immediately, dozens of California lawmakers started calling for more gun legislation while also acknowledging that the state has the strictest gun laws in the country, which they say are working.
"California's led the way, we lead the nation," said Newsom. "We know gun safety saves lives, period. Full stop."
The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as one where at least four people are shot, not including the shooter, but there are some variations.
Everytown for Gun Safety defines it as one where 4 people are shot and killed.
The FBI does not have a definition, but the U.S. statute defines mass killings as three people killed.
"California has some of the strongest common sense gun laws in the nation, and as a result, have among the lowest firearm mortality rates in the nation," said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
What Bonta said is true, according to Center for Disease Control. California has the 7th lowest gun death rate in the country.
When it comes to mass shootings, the Public Policy Institute of California found that California’s mass shooting homicide rate is below the national average.
The PPIC found that “compared to citizens of other states, Californians are about 25% less likely to die in mass shootings.”
