Is a gun in my home more likely to kill someone I know or a stranger?

Of every 10 firearm homicide victims killed at the shooter’s residence:6 were intimate partners or family members, 3 were friends or acquaintances, 1 was a stranger.

How many Californians use a gun in their home to kill in self-defense?

One of 10 firearm homicides in the shooter’s home was considered justifiable (shooter was not an assailant).

When the homicide is justifiable in the shooter’s home, is the victim always a stranger?

54% of the victims were strangers and 46% of the victims were known by the shooter.

How many California households have a gun?

Approximately 24% of California households report having at least one firearm.¹  This compares to a national estimate of 36%.²

How many gun owners store their handguns unsafely?

In a 1998 survey, 21% of gun-owning respondents stored their gun unlocked and loaded.

Are men more likely to own a gun?

Unmarried men are 2.4 times as likely as unmarried women to report owning a firearm. Married men are more likely to report a gun in the house than are married women, suggesting an estimated 500,000 California women may live in homes with guns they are not aware of.1 Millions of children also live in homes with guns, many of them not safely stored. ^1,3

References:

¹Chern VJ, Kim AN. Household firearms in California, 1994-1996. CDHS, EPIC Branch; 1998. EPICgram no. 1
²The Gallup Organization. http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr990406.asp
³Chern VJ, Kim AN. Handgun storage in California, 1994-1996. CDHS, EPIC Branch; 1998. EPICgram no. 2