I just looked at the numbers for 2008. In that year there were 14,180 murders and non-negligent homicides. Of these 67% or 9,500 were a result of firearms. There is even a problem with that term as that includes anything that throws a bullet, rifle, shotgun, whatever. This produces a rate of 3.08 per 100,000 (9,500/308,000,000 = X/100,000). That is down 30% from your 2001 figure.
However if I use my source to check your numbers the results are different. 2001 is 8664/307000000 = X/100000 or 2.82 per 100,000 meaning an increase of 9%.

Quote Originally Posted by MMI View Post
I cannot give conclusive facts, and have no time to do the research. Perhaps someone else is better able to provide unbiased data for us. In yellow would be nice.

I did find this, from the Gun Control Network (I mistyped that as "Gin Control ... a whole other debate!) - which obviously has an agenda to pursue:

Gun Deaths - International Comparisons
Gun deaths per 100,000 population (for the year indicated):

Homicide Suicide Other (inc Accident)

USA (2001) 3.98 5.92 0.36
Italy (1997) 0.81 1.1 0.07
Switzerland (1998) 0.50 5.8 0.10
Canada (2002) 0.4 2.0 0.04
Finland (2003) 0.35 4.45 0.10
Australia (2001) 0.24 1.34 0.10
France (2001) 0.21 3.4 0.49
England/Wales (2002) 0.15 0.2 0.03
Scotland (2002) 0.06 0.2 0.02
Japan (2002) 0.02 0.04 0

If we can't prevent gun crime, then perhaps gun control will reduce suicides and accidental deaths.

I could not help noticing the banner over its home page, which quoted Thomas Gabor, Professor of Criminology - University of Ottawa when he was giving evidence to the Cullen Inquiry in 1996: "Homicide rates tend to be related to firearm ownership levels. Everything else being equal, a reduction in the percentage of households owning firearms should occasion a drop in the homicide rate".

I also came across the following random snippets:
Gun crime in London has doubled recently.
Most shootings involve young people and are for petty reasons (and are termed "respect" shootings).
Most gun crime takes place in poorer districts and is committed by less well-off people who have become disconnected from society
Most gun victims have convictions or are known to the police
Where a violent crime takes place and one or other of the people involved - victim or attacker - has a gun, death is likely to result.
Someone shot in the heart has a 20% chance of survival: someone knifed in the heart has a 70% chance of survival