Wichita, KS Homicide Rate Up…Due To Self-Defense Killings

By Tom Knighton

Now that we have new statistics to look at regarding things like firearm-related deaths, it’s time we all get to play “poke the hole in the stupid.”

Today’s entry comes to us from the Wichita Eagle, who apparently felt like there’s a problem that needed to be reported on. You see, their homicide rate is up. The reason? All those pesky self-defense killings.

Wichita had more homicides this year than any year since 1995, driven in part by an increase in self-defense killings, an analysis of law enforcement records shows.

At least 43 people died by homicide in Wichita this year, up five from last year. The increase came because of self-defense killings, which increased by five — from three to eight, Wichita police said.

Before Kansas’ stand-your-ground law passed in 2007, if there was an opportunity to escape violence, or a chance to retreat, a person had to make that the first option before using force.

That’s no longer the case. Kansas is one of many states where citizens have no legal duty to retreat from an attacker in any place where they are lawfully present. A killing is justifiable in Kansas when a person “reasonably believes” that the use …Read the Rest

Source:: Bearing Arms