Prohibit Assault Weapons
What does it solve?
Assault weapons are exceptionally deadly firearms commonplace in mass fatality shootings. They are generally capable of firing far more bullets, far faster than manual-action hunting rifles. Prohibiting assault weapons can prevent mass shooting injuries and deaths.
Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are frequently used in the violence that plagues our nation. From 2015 to 2022, mass shootings with four or more people killed where an assault weapon was used resulted in nearly six times as many people shot, more than twice as many people killed, and 23 times as many people wounded on average compared to those that did not involve the use of one. Some states and Washington, DC, have enacted legislation to prohibit assault weapons.
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Which states prohibit assault weapons?
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
California has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Colorado has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Connecticut has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Delaware has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Florida has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Hawaii has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Illinois has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Indiana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Maine has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Maryland has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Minnesota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Montana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Nevada has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Jersey has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Mexico has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New York has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Oregon has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Rhode Island has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Texas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Utah has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Vermont has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Virginia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Washington has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
How it works
Assault weapons make shootings more lethal.
Assault weapons are generally high-powered semiautomatic firearms where each round has up to four times the muzzle velocity of a handgun round. This means that each round from an assault weapon inflicts greater damage to the human body than a round from a typical handgun. Moreover, semiautomatic weapons can load and fire subsequent rounds much faster than manually operated firearms. When combined with high-capacity magazines—commonly defined as magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition—they allow a shooter to fire more rounds over a short period without pausing to reload.
These guns are often used in mass shootings and recovered at crime scenes, but research shows a prohibition on assault weapons can prevent mass shooting fatalities and active shooter events. A study found that the federal prohibition on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines was associated with a significant decrease in public mass shootings and related casualties, preventing at least 11 public mass shootings during the 10 years it was in effect. The researchers also estimated that had the law remained in effect from 2005 through 2019, it would have prevented 30 mass shootings that resulted in the death of 339 people and wounded 1,139 more.
Lawmakers should act urgently to prohibit these excessively dangerous firearms.
By the numbers
>1,400
Researchers estimate that if the federal law prohibiting assault weapons and high-capacity magazines was in effect from 2005 through 2019, it would have prevented 30 mass shootings that resulted in 1,478 people shot and killed or wounded.
6x
Between 2015 and 2022, mass shootings with four or more people killed where assault weapons were used resulted in nearly six times as many people shot per incident on average.
>2x
Between 2015 and 2022, mass shootings with four or more people killed where assault weapons were used resulted in more than twice as many people killed per incident on average.
23x