I&#x27;m tired of the media (NYT in particular) acting like mass shootings are actually a significant danger in the USA today.<p>Going back to 2010, there have been 182 fatalities[1] in the United States due to mass shootings.<p>In the same amount of time, there have been about 158 fatalities due to being struck by lightning.[2]<p>In 2013 alone, there were 611,105 fatalities due to heart disease and 56,979 due to influenza and pneumonia.[3] The stats are a bit out of date, but from 2005-2009, ~3,500 people drowned (in &quot;non-boating accidents&quot;) each year.[4]<p>If you&#x27;re worried about yourself or a loved one dying, don&#x27;t worry about dying in a mass shooting. It&#x27;s about as likely as being struck by lightning.<p>[1]: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.motherjones.com&#x2F;politics&#x2F;2012&#x2F;12&#x2F;mass-shootings-mother-jones-full-data" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.motherjones.com&#x2F;politics&#x2F;2012&#x2F;12&#x2F;mass-shootings-m...</a><p>[2]: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov&#x2F;fatalities.shtml" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov&#x2F;fatalities.shtml</a><p>[3]: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cdc.gov&#x2F;nchs&#x2F;fastats&#x2F;leading-causes-of-death.htm" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cdc.gov&#x2F;nchs&#x2F;fastats&#x2F;leading-causes-of-death.htm</a><p>[4]: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cdc.gov&#x2F;HomeandRecreationalSafety&#x2F;Water-Safety&#x2F;waterinjuries-factsheet.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.cdc.gov&#x2F;HomeandRecreationalSafety&#x2F;Water-Safety&#x2F;wa...</a>