How many accidental shootings, like the idiot firing at a mouse in his kitchen, shooting one of his roommates in the adjoining bathroom? People in civil and civilized societies don't do that kind of thing.
In more civilized societies where there is a greater reliance on fewer weapons and the rule of law, including law enforcement rather than individual vigilantes, there are far, far fewer incidents like this one.
Looking at the equivalent data in the, their Police Roll of Honour in the UK shows mostly deaths related to vehical accidents, a couple of heart attacks, and one death from leukemia. The only death by any kind of criminal violence, as distinct from an accident or illness, was this one:
From MSNBC.com and the news services:
Ronan KerrConstablePolice Service of Northern IrelandDied 2 April 2011, aged 25
Killed by a terrorist bomb, which exploded under his car outside his home in Omagh, Co. Tyrone, as he was about to set off to report for duty in Eniskillen. Ronan entered the police training college at Garnerville in May 2010. He began his on the job training in F District in December 2010. He first joined the Neighbourhood policing Team in Enniskillen before moving to a response role at the end of March 2011.He is survived by his widowed mother, sister and two brothers.
Cop killed, 5 colleagues shot during drug raid in Ogden, Utah
Married father of two young children dies; suspect also hospitalized
NBC, msnbc.com and news services updated 1/5/2012 9:22:34 AM ET OGDEN, Utah — A police officer was shot dead and five colleagues were wounded as they tried to serve a drug-related search warrant late Wednesday, authorities in Utah said. Gunfire erupted around 9 p.m. MST (11 p.m. ET) after police converged at a residence in Ogden, police spokesman Lt. Tony Fox said.
In a statement released early Thursday, Ogden City Police Department said that Agent Jared Francom had succumbed to injuries.
"Agent Francom has served the citizens of Ogden City with honor for seven years," the statement added. It described Francom as a married father of two young children.
Authorities said that five officers "from multiple agencies" remained hospitalized with serious to critical injuries.
The suspect was also being held at a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said. Officials confirmed that no additional suspects were being sought.
Citing an official at the Ogden Regional Medical Center, NBC News earlier reported that one officer was listed in stable condition.
Chris Dallin, a spokesman for McKay-Dee Hospital Center, said that several off-duty doctors and nurses were called in to help in the aftermath of the incident.
The suspect was surrounded near a backyard shed, police said.
'Put your hands up' Witnesses said they heard three quick pops followed by a two- to three-minute pause, then a barrage of gunfire.
"We came running outside to see what was going on," Janessa Vanderstappen, who lives nearby, told the Deseret News. "Officers told us to go back in our house."
Vanderstappen said she went back inside, and minutes later heard yelling coming from the backyard.
She said she walked onto the back porch to see officers addressing a person hiding in a nearby shed.
"There's cops telling him to 'put your hands up, put your hands up,'" she said.
The Associated Press, NBC News and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
