Repeal Shoot First Laws
What does it solve?
Shoot First, also known as Stand Your Ground, laws allow people to shoot to kill in public even when they can safely walk away from the danger. These laws threaten public safety by encouraging armed vigilantism. They allow a person to kill another person in a public area even when there are clear and safe ways to retreat from a dangerous situation.
Shoot First laws encourage avoidable escalation of violence, and they do not deter crime. Under traditional self-defense law, a person can use force to defend themselves anywhere. If they’re outside their home, though, they can’t use force that is likely to kill or seriously injure someone if there’s a safe way to avoid it. These laws allow people to shoot to kill in public even when they can safely walk away from the danger. Shoot First laws are associated with increases in homicides and injuries, and disproportionately impact communities of color. Lawmakers should put the safety of their constituents first and repeal these dangerous laws in their states.
No Stand Your Ground Law
Which states have rejected Stand Your Ground laws?
No Shoot First Law
Alabama has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Alaska has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Arizona has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
California has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Colorado has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Connecticut has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Delaware has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Florida has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Georgia has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Hawaii has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Idaho has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Illinois has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Indiana has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Iowa has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Kansas has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Maine has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Maryland has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Michigan has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Minnesota has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Missouri has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Montana has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Nebraska has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Nevada has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
New Jersey has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
New Mexico has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
New York has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Ohio has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Oregon has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Texas has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Utah has not adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Vermont has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Virginia has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Washington has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
West Virginia has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Wisconsin has adopted this policy
No Shoot First Law
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
Myth & Fact
Myth
Fact
How it works
Shoot First laws encourage escalated violence.
Under traditional self-defense law, a person can use force to defend themselves anywhere. When they are outside their home, however, they cannot use force likely to kill or seriously injure someone if there is a safe way to avoid it. Traditional self-defense gives people the right to protect themselves, but also recognizes that it is always best to avoid killing someone if possible. It does not require a person to retreat from a situation if retreating would put them in danger, but requires a person to avoid killing another if there is a clear and safe way to do so. These laws upend traditional self-defense by allowing people to shoot to kill in public, even when they can safely walk away from the danger.
Shoot first laws are associated with increases in homicide rates resulting in 700 additional homicides each year. Research on these laws has demonstrated that these laws are associated with increases in firearm homicides. At the state level, these laws have been associated with considerable increases in gun deaths, including unintentional deaths: 6 to 7 percent more gun deaths occurred in suburban counties and 8 percent more gun deaths occurred in urban counties in states that adopted these laws.
Stand Your Ground laws disproportionately impact communities of color. In states with these laws, homicides in which white shooters kill Black victims are deemed justifiable five times more frequently than when the situation is reversed.
By the numbers
5x
In states with Shoot First laws, homicides in which white shooters kill Black victims are deemed justifiable five times more frequently than when the situation is reversed.
32%