A Fascinating Study of Shot Placement

Ammoland

At the Chicago site shown above, the number for 2014 is about 1 out of 7  (2619 shot/375 killed)    That is from shootings that are treated in hospitals.  At least some people choose not to be treated.  We do not know what number that may be, but prison interviews have found that a number of criminals choose not to go to a hospital, they have their wounds treated by themselves, family, or by some form of care in the underground economy.

A gunshot wound is potentially life threatening, and the law treats the person shooting as using deadly force for that reason.  Wounds to the extremities can kill, though the percentage is lower.   An Alabama intruder was shot in the leg.  He died.  From wiat.com:

The suspect collapsed after running away due to a bullet striking an artery in his leg. According to Tarrant Police, the male suspect, who has not been identified, died early Sunday afternoon. Authorities will meet Monday to determine if there will be any charges filed.

Remember, any shot is the use of deadly force.  Police are not trained to “shoot to wound” because a shot to the arm or leg can easily be deadly, it may not stop the attack, and such targets are inherently smaller and harder to hit than aiming for the center of mass.    The policy that most instructors teach is:

• Shoot to stop the threat, not to kill.
• Aim for the center of mass.
• Keep shooting until the threat is down and no longer a threat.