Where did those numbers come from? More import6antly how does one measure "what" didn't happen? Is your statistician really saying between half a million and 2.5 million times a death definitely would have been the result. How would one determine such? I'd sure like to see where the statistician got the numbers.
Those numbers come from the "Journal of Quantitative Criminology", a very respected, peer reviewed journal on crime. And backed and cited by the FBI and CDC as well as the "Crime Prevention Research Center". There are 500,000 reported, and law enforcement and others know about how many go unreported. You can go read the study to find how they got the numbers. My take is that due to knowing the facts behind actual deaths by firearms, they can assume a certain number of these incidents would have ended in a shooting. Every shooting has the great possibility of death. Looking back at it, the stats are actually between 500,000 and 3,000,000. This includes police and gun fights where the good guy wins. As well as just "pulling", or showing a firearm to a bad guy. Also includes home invasions, burglary, robbery, rapes.....Law enforcement knows how these usually end when the good guy does NOT have a gun, and how it goes when the good guy DOES have a gun.
Its not easy to get these numbers, thats why the big spread. Many encounters are not reported.
Just the presence of a firearm often de- escalates a situation and most are not reported when it just ends with a brandishing of a firearm and the bad guy fleeing.
There are some really good youtube channels that show defensive firearm videos form CC cameras. It happens WAY more than you think. These stories, with videos are VERY abundant. When have you seen them on the news? The MSM has them available.
Working with cops over the last few decades I can tell you I have never heard one say its a bad idea for citizens to have a firearm, not one. And they deal with this every day. When I go to an event.....firearm shows, competition events, dealer seminars......there is no end to the stories of people using a firearm for self defense.
Again, this comes from several respected and peer reviewed sources and very easy to find and read for yourself.
I personally have had to use a firearm n self defense. It was from an 800 pound inland grizzlie, but without the gun, I would be dead.....the bear was not killed, just scared.
Finally, there are endless stories about people using a firearm to defend themselves you can read online. Many women who would either be dead or seriously assaulted, if you know what I mean, without a firearm.
The part I posted about consealed carriers being more law abiding than cops, judges and clergy is also from a peer reviewed journal and I can personally attest to that anecdotally. Form working with CCers for decades, I know they go out of their way to obey the law. Their right to own a firearm is in constant peril from the powers that be.
Im done with this thread, this isn't the place. But I guarantee that most of what you hear is untrue.
Just a teaser......the USA is not even close to the country with the most mass shootings......I believe number 25 to be precise.