Research indicates that carrying a firearm may increase a victim’s risk of injury when a crime is committed, with one study indicating that people in possession of a gun may be more than four times more likely to be shot in an assault.¹⁰ An FBI analysis of 160 active shooter incidents from 2000–2013 found that active shooter incidents were rarely stopped by armed individuals who were not law enforcement returning fire.¹¹ In fact, four times as many shootings were stopped by unarmed civilians restraining the shooter. A 2015 Harvard University study analyzed data from 2007 to 2011 found that of more than 14,000 crimes in which a victim was present, just under one percent involved a gun used in self-defense. The Harvard Injury Control Research Center also found that self-defense gun use is, “rare and not more effective at preventing injury than other protective actions.”¹²

What About Resolution 32?

After lively discussion during the 2021 Council Meeting in Boston, Resolution 32 eventually passed and was adopted by ACEP’s Board of Directors on Oct. 2021. The result of this vociferous debate is for now settled in an ACEP Policy Statement, “Protection from Violence in the Emergency Department,” which was revised to address Resolution 32. The policy statement’s list of hospital and administrative responsibilities to ensure the safety and security of the ED now includes these two items:

• Erect signage and provide for appropriate securing of firearms outside of the ED, designating the ED a ’Firearm-Free Zone.’
• Coordinate the health care institution’s security system with local law enforcement agencies when developing policies for safekeeping of firearms; trained and on-duty law enforcement officers, hospital security, military police, and federal agents may be acceptable exceptions to the ’Firearm-Free Zone.’

ACEP’s policy statements are available to view in full at acep.org/policystatements.

Danielle Galian (@Danielle_Galian) is editor of ACEP Now.

References

1. Clements, TP, et al. Workplace violence and corporate policy for health care settings. Nursing Economics website. Available at: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/WorkplaceViolenceCorporatePolicyHealthCare.pdf. Accessed July 20, 2022.
2. Workplace violence and covid-19 in health care how the hospital industry created an occupational syndemic. National Nurses United website. Available at: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/sites/default/files/nnu/documents/1121_WPV_HS_Survey_Report_FINAL.pdf. Accessed July 20, 2022.
3. By the numbers: firearms in the emergency department. ACEP Now. 2020;39(11):6.
4. Minemyer P. Hospital Shooting: Florida Facilities Beef up Security with Armed Guards, Random Bag Checks. Fierce Healthcare website. Available at https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals/florida-hospitals-take-a-look-at-security-after-deadly-shooting. Accessed July 20, 2022.
5. Autullo R, Plohetski T. Hostages say Naurmanchi targeted doctors in standoff that killed beloved Austin pediatrician. Statesman website. Available at https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2021/01/27/doctorlindley-dodson-killed-austin-hostage-situation-shooting-bharat-narumanchi/4277191001/. Accessed July 20, 2022.
6. Texas EMS provider disarms patient after shots fired inside hospital. EMS1 website. Available at: https://www.ems1.com/shooting/articles/texas-ems-providerdisarms-patient-after-shots-fired-inside-hospital-PdjhenJUkOUMKxdP/. Accessed July 20, 2022.
7. Ketterer AR, Ray K, Grossestreuer A, et al. Emergency physicians‘ familiarity with the safe handling of firearms. West J Emerg Med. 2019;20(1):170–176.
8. Spicker K, Perry P. Police: Shooter ran through Miami Valley Hospital, pointed gun at others. Dayton Daily News website. Available at: https://www.daytondailynews.com/crime/large-struggle-took-place-prior-to-shooting-at-miami-valley-hospital/JJJFYAI7NZDNXKT57GTC3SXDUQ/. Accessed July 20, 2022.
9. Farcy DA, Doria N, Moreno-Walton L, et al. Emergency physician survey on firearm injury prevention: Where can we improve? West J Emerg Med. 2021;22(2):257–265.
10. Branas CC, Richmond TS, Culhane DP, et al. Investigating the link between gun possession and gun assault. Am J Public Health. 2009;99(11):2034–40.
11. A study of active shooter incidents in the United States between 2000 and 2013. FBI website. Available at: https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/active-shooter-study-2000-2013-1.pdf/view. Accessed July 20, 2022.
12. Gun threats and self-defense gun use. Harvard Injury Control Research Center website. Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/gun-threats-and-self-defense-gun-use-2/. Accessed July 20, 2022.

*The views and opinions expressed by Dr. Coppola are his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, or official policies of Nutex Health, Inc or any of its affiliates or associates, the Texas Military Department, or the Texas State Guard. Any content provided is not meant to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything else.