Tucson, Arizona, is patting itself on the back for a notable dip in homicides during the first half of 2025, with city officials quick to highlight the plunge in gun-related killings. But here’s the head-scratcher they conveniently glossed over: the drop isn’t isolated to firearms—overall homicides across the board have fallen, from stabbings to beatings and everything in between. This isn’t some miracle of gun control tightening its grip; it’s a broader trend mirroring what’s happening in many cities nationwide, where violent crime rates have been cooling off post-pandemic peaks without any dramatic changes to Arizona’s robust Second Amendment protections. Tucson’s own data shows firearms still involved in a fraction of incidents compared to non-gun violence, underscoring that criminals don’t suddenly go law-abiding when guns are involved—they adapt, or better yet, get deterred by other factors like improved policing and community recovery.

Digging deeper, this selective touting smells like classic narrative spin from anti-2A advocates itching to claim credit for common-sense reforms, even as Tucson’s permissive carry laws remain firmly in place. Arizona’s constitutional carry since 2010 hasn’t sparked a bloodbath; if anything, the state’s low homicide rates relative to national averages suggest armed citizens act as a stabilizing force, aligning with John Lott’s extensive research on more guns, less crime. The real story? Factors like economic rebound, targeted enforcement against gang activity, and even warmer weather drawing people outdoors (reducing cabin-fever brawls) are likely at play—none of which owe a dime to restricting lawful gun ownership. When headlines cherry-pick gun homicides to imply causation, they ignore how armed self-defense prevents far more tragedies than they acknowledge, with CDC estimates pegging defensive gun uses at 500,000 to 3 million annually.

For the 2A community, this is a golden opportunity to flip the script: Tucson’s decline proves that strong gun rights and falling crime can coexist, dismantling the gun-grabber myth that more firearms equal more murder. Instead of knee-jerk disarmament calls, let’s push for what works—proactive policing, mental health investments, and empowering citizens to protect themselves. As Tucson basks in its stats, pro-2A voices should amplify the full picture: liberty isn’t the problem; it’s the solution. Keep carrying, stay vigilant, and watch the fearmongers squirm.