MYTH: If I get shot I’m going to die

People are often afraid of firearms, and often have false beliefs about them. A common belief is that if you get shot you will die. This belief is one that enables perpetrators to intimidate the victims they target.

The truth is that you MAY die but it is not inevitable. There are many incidents in which someone (either a “bad guy” or a potential victim) is shot, sometimes multiple times, and not only survives, but continues to function and even fight.

If you are in a situation where someone is pointing a firearm at you, it's normal (and common) to feel scared. You'll face a choice to comply with what the person holding the gun want you to do or not, and the threat you face will be getting shot if you don't do what they want.

Things that will affect your choice include:

• the environment you're in (room in your house, parking lot outside your local grocery store, rural hiking trail),
• whether or not there are other people nearby,
• whether or not you are alone or have someone else to protect (your child, spouse, elderly parent)
• if the other person is someone you have a history with
• whether or not you know and are clear about your personal reason to survive
• whether or not you know what it could cost you if you comply
• and more…

Only YOU will be able to make a choice in the scenario you find yourself in. Don't let the false belief that getting shot automatically means death influence your decision.

“The odds of surviving a gunshot greatly depends on key factors such the location of the injury, the amount of blood lost, and how quickly the victim gets to the hospital. Generally, the chances that a person will survive a critical gunshot wound have increased by up to 40% over the last 20 years.” (Smartgunlaws.org)