Cases of violence can involve a wide variety of weapons and objects. Some of the most lethal are usually gunshot wounds and knife stab wounds. For folks who want to ensure their safety, it brings up the question as to which is more lethal between a bullet wound and knife wound. To get an idea, here are some important aspects to consider.
Type of injury - Tissue and flesh injuries are usually treatable with a good rate of success. However, if any of the major blood vessels are ruptured, it can result in death in a short span of time. Both bullets and knives are capable of damaging the major blood vessels. In this aspect, both bullets and knives can be equally dangerous.
Range - For knives to be lethal, they need to be used at close range. This means that the victim can try to maintain their distance between the attacker. Or, they can simply choose to run away at a speed faster than the perpetrator can manage. In comparison, a firearm has a much larger range at which it can be lethal. It will depend on the type of firearm used. A pistol or revolver will apparently have less range in comparison to a rifle.
Options to protect oneself - A knife attack could be more defendable in comparison to defending against a perpetrator with a gun. To deal with a knife attack, one can use ordinary objects to prevent the attacker from getting close. For example, even a trash can can be used to prevent the knife from getting close. A knife can also be blocked by the bones in the body. This will prevent the possibility of deeper wounds.
In comparison, defending against a bullet can be quite tough. Either one needs to wear bulletproof clothing or has to hide behind something that can stop bullets. So, in terms of protecting oneself, the options are less in case of an attack with a firearm.
Medical complications - Depending on the type of firearm used, bullets can cause more internal damage than a knife. For example, a single shotgun blast will be more difficult to treat than a single knife wound.
Accessibility - As a knife is more easily available, it can be accessed by a larger number of perpetrators. So, the chances of meeting an attacker with a knife is theoretically more than an attacker with a gun.
What stats say - An analysis done by Johns Hopkins Medicine had focused on the national trauma data in the United States. It has been revealed that trauma patients with knife stab wounds are 9 times more likely to die before reaching the trauma center in comparison to 4 times of gunshot wounds.
Emotional angle - A knife attack involves a lot more emotion and rage. In a knife attack, it is usually seen that the victim is stabbed multiple times. This increases the severity of the wounds and possibility of subsequent fatality.
As is evident from above, both a knife and bullets can be equally dangerous. Unless you are 100% sure about what you are doing or if your life is at stake, it would be better to avoid any sort of confrontation. You can report the matter to the cops and let them deal with the bad guys.
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