Unintentional shootings, highway crashes and acts of violence—A behavior paradigm

Characteristics of Vermont residents involved as shooters in unintentional shootings of all degrees of severity were compared with those of residents whom they shot and residents of same sex and similar age, most of whom owned guns but who were not involved in shooting incidents. In comparison with the other two groups, the shooters more often were previously known to the police, had arrests for violence, had arrests involving alcohol, and crashes and traffic citations during the previous 3 years and during their lifetimes. A behavior model is suggested, commonly involving alcohol, in which poor control of aggressive tendencies results in intentional acts of violence, and unintentional injury both on the highway and elsewhere.