Firearm Homicide-Suicides in North Carolina: Evidence from the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System, 2004-2014

Abstract

examines firearm homicide-suicides to discern patterns that differentiate homicide-suicides from other firearm homicides and suicides. Spanning the years [2004][2005][2006][2007][2008][2009][2010][2011][2012][2013][2014] in North Carolina, this data set allows for three sets of logistic regressions that compare: 1) Homicide-suicide victims with other homicide victims, including sub-analyses of domestic homicide victims and intimate partner homicide victims 2) Homicide-suicide perpetrators with other homicide perpetrators, including a subanalysis of domestic homicide perpetrators 3) Homicide-suicide perpetrators with other suicidal individuals that committed suicide with a gunThese three avenues of inquiry allow for a complete picture of homicide-suicide victims and perpetrators, contributing to our understanding of the patterns behind these incidents. The major findings from this analysis are:1) Almost all homicide-suicides were committed by men and involved the use of a gun. 95% of homicide-suicide perpetrators were male. 98% of homicide-suicides involved the use of a gun in at least one death, and 84% involved the exclusive use of a gun. 2) Female intimate partners, and spouses in particular, were the most frequent victims in homicide-suicides. Two thirds of homicide-suicides were intimate partner homicides. Women killed by their husbands in homicide-suicides outnumbered women killed by their husbands in simple homicides. Even when considering only intimate partner homicides, the odds that a female victim was murdered in a homicide-suicide were seven times higher than for males. 3) The termination of an abusive relationship is a major risk factor for homicidesuicide. Separation or divorce raised the odds that a killer committed suicide following a domestic homicide by 5 times. 4) More victims of homicide-suicides had restraining orders against their killers than other homicide victims. 55 homicide victims had restraining orders against their killers. Just over half of these victims died in a homicide-suicide. Among suicidal people, a restraining order raised the odds of committing homicide prior to suicide by four. 5) Mental illness and suicidal behavior are far less common in homicide-suicide perpetrators than in other suicidal individuals. 40% of solely suicidal people were suffering from Depression, compared to 9% of the homicide-suicide perpetrators. Those who committed homicide along with suicide were less likely to have left a note, expressed suicidal intentions or have made previous suicide attempts.Homicide-suicides are a patterned type of violence that is distinct from other suicides and other homicides. The evidence presented in this analysis suggests that compared to both homicides and suicides, homicide-suicides are less reflective of personal problems experienced by the perpetrator and more reflective of troubled and abusive relationships between the perpetrator and the victim(s). The evidence suggests that perpetrators become maximally violent when they have lost control of a relationship. The in...