Do States Where More People Carry Guns Have Less Crime?

Our weekly check-in with the Texas Truth-o-meter.

By Alain StephensJanuary 6, 2016 10:22 am

It’s a discussion in the news, in the White House, and even on college campuses: guns. Who should have them and where should you be allowed to carry them?

No one made their stance more clear than Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. Patrick went on national television and said a study shows crime dropped 25 percent in states that allow adults to carry guns. Sounds pretty cut and dry – but is that a fact?

Aiming for the truth is Gardner Selby of the PolitiFact Texas team.

Patrick was on NBC’s Meet the Press as the year began with Texas as the 45th U.S. state to allow residents with permits to openly carry handguns. He also suggested states with open or conceal carry laws are safer. We’ve got what he said next on tape.

“Texas is the largest state to have open carry,” Patrick said. “And let me also add this, Chuck. That everywhere that we have more citizens carrying guns, crime is less. There’s a study showing that where states have open carry or concealed carry, but particularly open carry, the crime is down 25 percent.”

Find out how his claim rated in the audio player above.