– “Fatal incidents involving 18-20 year olds”
– “Statistics on lethal shootings among young adults”.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Florida Republicans Push to Lower Age for Buying Rifles and Other Long Guns

Nearly six years after the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Florida Republicans are advocating for a reduction in the legal age for purchasing rifles and other long guns back to 18. In 2018, the purchase age was raised to 21 following the revelation that the shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had legally obtained the AR-15-style weapon used in the attack.

During a recent hearing in Tallahassee, Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina was among the victims, testified against lowering the age. He stated, “Our current law is working. I implore each of you to remember that law is written in the blood of the victims, including my beautiful daughter, Gina.”

Another speaker, Jayden D’Onofrio, who was in middle school nearby during the shooting, voiced his opposition to the bill, highlighting that individuals between the ages of 18 and 20 are three times more likely to commit gun homicides.

The proposed bill, H.B. 1223, advanced through the Criminal Justice Subcommittee along party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. However, it still requires approval from one more committee before it can be heard on the House floor.

Data Reveals Higher Likelihood of Fatal Shootings Among Younger Americans

Although crime data in the United States is often incomplete, experts agree that general trends from state and FBI data indicate that individuals aged 18 to 20, and sometimes those in their early to mid-20s, are more likely to commit deadly shootings compared to other age groups.

A fact sheet by gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety shows that individuals between the ages of 18 and 20 commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults aged 21 and older. This calculation was based on the FBI’s supplementary homicide report and the U.S. Census American Community Survey, analyzing crime type, weapon, and offender’s age.

In Florida, federal law requires individuals to be 21 to purchase handguns, but some states allow the purchase of long guns at the age of 18. The proposed bill in Florida focuses on long guns, including rifles and shotguns.

Experts attribute the spike in gun homicides among this age group to brain development and societal factors. The human brain continues to develop until individuals reach their mid- to late 20s, with the prefrontal cortex responsible for executive control being one of the last regions to mature. This lack of development contributes to impulsive behavior among young people.

James Alan Fox, a criminology professor at Northeastern University, found that the rate of gun homicides begins to increase around the age of 14 and peaks around age 20. In the United States, individuals between the ages of 18 and 20, comprising only 4% of the population, commit 17% of gun homicides and 16% of gun homicides involving rifles.

According to Daniel Webster, a research scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, cultural and social factors also play a role in this age group’s propensity for violence. Many gun homicides are committed by young men attempting to assert their strength and avoid being perceived as weak.

As lawmakers debate lowering the legal age for purchasing rifles and other long guns in Florida, experts emphasize the importance of considering brain development and societal influences when addressing gun violence among young adults.

PolitiFact copy chief Matthew Crowley contributed to this report.

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1. “Data on deadly shootings involving young adults”
2. “Trends in fatal shootings by 18- to 20-year-olds”.