|
Results of the Study (continued)
Cause of death differed significantly by gender of the victim. Males were more
likely than females to die by gunshot or by fire-related deaths. Females were
more likely than males to die by asphyxia, blunt force trauma, or bladed weapons.
These differences and the distribution of the cases by cause of death and gender
of the victim are illustrated in Table 4.
|
Table
4
Distribution of Arson-Homicide Cases by
Gender of Victim and by Cause of Death
(n=177)
|
| Cause
of Death |
Male |
Female |
| Gunshot |
28
(33.3%) |
8
(8.6%) |
| Asphyxia |
5
(6.0%) |
19
(20.4%) |
| Fire
Related |
32
(38.1%) |
21(22.6%) |
| Blunt
Force |
10
(11.9%) |
15
(16.1%) |
| Bladed
Weapon |
9
(10.9%) |
30
(32.3%) |
| Totals |
84
(100.0%) |
93
(100.0%) |
|
The cases were also differentially distributed by age group and cause of death
as reflected in Table 5. The youngest victims were most likely to die of fire-related
causes (15, 62.5 percent). The second most frequent cause of death for victims
aged 17 years or younger was asphyxia (5, 20.8 percent), including smothering
and strangulation. Few of the victims aged 17 or younger died from bladed weapons
(2, 8.3%), gunshots (1, 4.2 percent) or blunt force (1, 4.2 percent).
The cause of death for victims in the 18-29 year age group was more equally
distributed with gunshots (19, 29.7 percent), bladed weapons (15, 23.4 percent),
and fire (12, 20.3 percent) being the most frequent causes of death. Asphyxia
(9, 14.1 percent) and blunt force (8, 12.5 percent) were less frequently noted
as cause of death for the 18-29 age group. In the 30-39 year age group, bladed
weapons (10, 43.5 percent) accounted for nearly one-half of the victims. Death
by fire was the least common cause of death (2 cases, 8.7 percent) in the 30-39
age group. Gunshots (3, 13,0%), blunt force trauma (4, 17.4 percent) and asphyxia
(4, 17.4 percent) were the other causes of death reported for this age group.
|
Table
5
Distribution of Arson-Homicide Cases by
Cause of Death and by Victim Age Group
(n = 176)
|
| |
Age
Group
|
| Cause
of Death |
17
or less |
18-29 |
30-39 |
40-49 |
50-59 |
60
or more |
| Gunshot |
1
(4.2%) |
19
(29.7%) |
3
(13.0%) |
1
(5.6%) |
3
(18.8%) |
9
(29.0%) |
| Asphyxia |
5
(20.8%) |
9
(14.1%) |
4
(17.4%) |
1
(5.6%) |
1
(6.3%) |
3
(9.7%) |
| Fire
Related |
15
(62.5%) |
13
(20.3%) |
2
(8.7%) |
7
(38.9%) |
6
(37.5%) |
10
(32.3%) |
| Blunt
Force |
1
(4.2%) |
8
(12.5%) |
4
(17.4%) |
3
(16.7%) |
4
(25.0%) |
5
(16.1%) |
| Bladed
weapon |
2
(8.3%) |
15
(23.4%) |
10
(43.5%) |
6
(33.3%) |
2
(12.5%) |
4
(12.9%) |
| Totals |
24
(100%) |
64
(100%) |
23
(100%) |
18
(100%) |
16
(100%) |
31
(100%) |
|
In the cases involving victims from 40 to 49 years old, fire related causes
were the most commonly reported reason for death (7, 38.9 percent) with death
by a bladed weapon (6, 33.3 percent) a close second cause. Only one victim died
of gunshots (5.6 percent) and only one of asphyxia (5.6 percent) in the 40-49
age group. In three (16.7 percent) of the cases, blunt force trauma was the
cause of death for victims in this group.
Fire was also the leading cause of death in cases with victims aged 50-59 years
(6, 37.5 percent). Blunt force trauma (4, 25.0 percent) was the second leading
cause of death in this age group. Three victims (18.8 percent) died from gunshots
and two (12.5 percent) from bladed weapons. The remaining case (1, 6.3 percent)
in this age group involved death by asphyxia.
Fire was the most frequent (10, 32.3 percent) cause of death for victims aged
60 years or older. Death by gunshot (9, 29.0 percent) was the second most common
cause of death for the oldest group of victims. Elderly victims, aged 60 years
or older, also died by blunt force trauma (16.1 percent), bladed weapons (4,
12.9 percent), and asphyxia (3, 9.7 percent).
|
