Brian Haas of The Tennessean reported that only Washington D.C. has a higher rate of gun violence. Those in Tennessee were more likely to be victims of violent gun crime than any other state in the nation. Tennessee leads the nation at which its citizens are the victims of aggravated assault and fifth highest among robbery cases. No one seems to have the answer to this critical question.
There were three possible answers to the question but one commentator suggested Tennessee’s high rate of gun ownership. Also , Tennesseans are free to have a handgun permit and there is always a move in the Tennessee Sate Legislature to expand the list where folks can take a hand gun. Heck , Tennessee even has a law that the police can sell back the guns they confiscate instead of destroying them.
Aggravated assault under Tennessee law is found at T.c.A. 39-13-102.Basically it consists of ;
- The defendant intentionally or knowingly caused bodily injury to another.
- The defendant caused serious bodily injury or ;
- That the defendant used or displayed a deadly weapon.
A deadly weapon does not have to be exclusively a hand gun.
Tennessee had over 13,132 gun-related crimes in 2010.Hard choices need to be made . Do we decrease the amount of guns on the street of send people to jail for aggravated assault convictions ?