C. W. Nevius is worried about handguns in San Francisco.
A lot has changed since San Francisco police Lt. John Murphy started working the drug and homicide beats in the 1980s.
“In the ’80s, we’d get one, two or three guns a week,” Murphy said. “Now it’s like – who doesn’t have one?”
They don’t mention the per capita arrests or investigations into drugs and homicide. They don’t mention the rate or absolute numbers, and they don’t mention the per-office caseload.
“There are 60,000 handguns in San Francisco,” Ryan said. “And 2,400 assault rifles. There are a lot of guns out there.”
We don’t know if those are legally possessed or not. We don’t know where the numbers come from. Nevius adds:
You’re reading that right. SIXTY THOUSAND guns in a population of less than 745,000 in a geographical area of 49 square miles. That’s a gun in every five households, or one for every 12th man, woman or child.
Well, 60,000 handguns. If you add “assault rifles” it’s 62400, and if you add shotguns and other rifles we don’t know. Still, it’s clear that firearms ownership in San Francisco is still a rare case. That Nevius is shocked is a little silly; one wonders if he travels outside those 49 square miles into America very often.
Regardless, his email address is at the bottom of the article. You might send him a polite note.
