Shooting in Bethany Highlights Deadly Connection Between Gun Violence, Intimate Partner Violence

On Wednesday morning, a man shot three people, killing two of them, in a domestic violence-related shooting in Bethany. Reports indicate the shooter is also dead. The shooting came as domestic violence organizations in Oklahoma and across the country are raising concerns that increased gun sales, financial stress, and social isolation could increase the risk of domestic violence. 

The YWCA in Oklahoma City and the Norman Women’s Resource Center have both already seen an influx in calls and requests for service. Oklahoma Moms Demand Action volunteers and survivors of gun violence are available to discuss the deadly link between guns and domestic violence. 

Intimate partner violence and gun violence in the U.S. are inextricably linked. When a domestic abuser has access to a gun, they are five times more likely to kill their victim. Every month, an average of 53 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner. Nearly one million women alive today have reported being shot or shot at by intimate partners, and 4.5 million women have reported being threatened with a gun. Children also bear the terrible burden of gun-related domestic violence: Data drawn from 16 states indicate that nearly two-thirds of child fatalities involving domestic violence were caused by guns. 

Meanwhile, year after year, Oklahoma lawmakers have weakened gun laws, making it easier for guns to end up in the hands of people who shouldn’t have them – including domestic abusers.

More information on the link between guns and domestic violence is available here. More information on gun violence in Oklahoma is available here.