Alec Baldwin’s “Rust” trial began Wednesday, with the prosecutor and defense presenting their cases. The actor is charged with involuntary manslaughter after a gun he used on the film set discharged, leading to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The film’s armorer had mixed up the dummy ammunition with live bullets and was already found guilty and sentence to 18 months in prison.
While the prosecutor claims Baldwin ignored firearm safety rules, the defense claims these rules would be hard to follow on set when shooting, well, a shooting scene, and that safety should be the responsibility of those who handle the guns before the actors.
While they debate that issue in court, most responsible gun owners would agree that knowing gun safety is very important. But according to Everytown Research & Policy, only nine states require future gun owners to train on basic safety — handling and storage. Regardless of each state’s rules, gun sales — as approximated by firearm background checks — have been declining considerably so far in 2024.
Using data from the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, 24/7 Wall St. identified the states where the most people bought guns in June 2024. States are ranked on the number of firearm background checks initiated through the NICS in June 2024 for every 1,000 residents. Background rechecks for existing gun permits were excluded. Population data is from the Census Bureau’s Population and Housing Unit Estimates program, and data on the number of age-adjusted deaths due to firearms for every 100,000 people is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
While background checks do not correspond one to one with gun sales, they remain the best proxy of gun sales, and if anything, can be indicative of trends. In the first half of 2024, unadjusted background check figures nationwide (including territories) were about 13% lower than the same period in 2023, at 13.2 million versus 15.2 million. (Also see, Last Year’s Best Selling Guns in the US.)
Looking at per capita sales in states so far in 2024, Hawaii had the lowest number of adjusted background checks per capita at 5 per 1,000 residents, while Idaho had the most adjusted background checks at 60 per 1,000 residents. Hawaii also had the fewest checks so far in 2024, at 7,142, while Texas had the most checks so far at 820,439. Despite this, Texas only had the 37th highest number of background checks per capita at 26.9 per 1,000 residents.
When it comes to gun deaths per capita, it is difficult to draw a relationship as the time periods are different. Mississippi had the most deaths per 100,000 residents at 29.6, while Rhode Island had the fewest at 3.2.
Why this matters
There are no official means to track legal gun sales. Therefore, firearm background checks remain the best estimates to gun sales, especially trends. Still, background checks have limitations, and now the measure may further change with the closing of the “gun show loophole.” Meanwhile, some checks are conducted without them involving a sale, such as rechecks, confusing the matter further. With the presidential elections looming and the issue of gun rights and gun control always a hot topic, keeping apprised of trends in gun sales can help provide some context.
Firearm background checks per capita, Jan-June 2024: 54.6 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, Jan-June 2024: 231,028 (16th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 14.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (21st lowest)
Total population, 2023: 4,233,358 (24th lowest)
4. Alabama
Firearm background checks per capita, Jan-June 2024: 55.3 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, Jan-June 2024: 282,653 (9th highest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 25.5 deaths per 100,000 residents (4th highest)
Total population, 2023: 5,108,468 (24th highest)
3. Wyoming
Firearm background checks per capita, Jan-June 2024: 58.4 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, Jan-June 2024: 34,097 (6th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 20.4 deaths per 100,000 residents (11th highest)
Total population, 2023: 584,057 (the lowest)
2. Montana
Firearm background checks per capita, Jan-June 2024: 59.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, Jan-June 2024: 66,831 (12th lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 23.9 deaths per 100,000 residents (6th highest)
Total population, 2023: 1,132,812 (8th lowest)
1. Idaho
Firearm background checks per capita, Jan-June 2024: 60.0 per 1,000 residents
Total firearm background checks, Jan-June 2024: 117,945 (22nd lowest)
Firearm mortality, 2022: 17.0 deaths per 100,000 residents (19th highest)
Total population, 2023: 1,964,726 (13th lowest)
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