In a tweet on June 2, California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom said, “Americans are 25x more likely to be shot & killed than others in developed countries.”
Our rating
Candidate for California governor Gavin Newsom recently said “Americans are 25x more likely to be shot and killed than others in developed countries.”
Newsom’s spokesman pointed to a study in the American Journal of Medicine that backs up this very sad statistic. It found the gun homicide rate in the United States is about 25 times greater than in other high-income, industrialized countries such as Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and Canada.
A similar study by the United Nations found America had a slightly lower gun homicide rate but included countries such as Turkey and Chile with relatively high gun homicide rates not included in the American Journal of Medicine report. Their inclusion explains the slightly lower rate.
Newsom’s claim is backed by what appears to be a valid study. But another report with credible findings shows the gun homicide rate is not quite as high compared to other nations as Newsom asserts.
His statement could have used this additional information.
In the end, we rated Newsom’s claim Mostly True.
To read the full fact check, go to politifact.com.