Gun Control Policy to Prevent Public Mass Shootings: Regression Lines of Discontinuety Study (Preprint)
BACKGROUND Public mass shootings are a significant public health problem that require systematic surveillance to inform policies that combat gun injuries. While there is widespread agreement that something needs to be done to stop public mass shootings, exactly which policies that entails varies such as the prohibition of assault weapons and large capacity magazines. OBJECTIVE Needs to be added METHODS The FAWB resulted in a significant decrease in public mass shootings, number of gun deaths and injuries. We estimate the FAWB prevented 11 public mass shootings during the decade the ban was in place. A continuation of the FAWB would have prevented 30 public mass shootings that killed 339 people and injured an additional 1139 people. RESULTS The FAWB resulted in a significant decrease in public mass shootings, number of gun deaths and injuries. We estimate the FAWB prevented 11 public mass shootings during the decade the ban was in place. A continuation of the FAWB would have prevented 30 public mass shootings that killed 339 people and injured an additional 1139 people. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the utility of public health surveillance on gun violence. Surveillance informs policy on whether a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines reduces public mass shootings. As society searches for effective policies to prevent the next public mass shooter, we must consider the overwhelming evidence that assault weapon bans and/or large capacity magazine bans work. CLINICALTRIAL NA