Fact check: How do left wing shootings compare to right wing shootings in terms of frequency and severity?

1. Summary of the results

The analyses provided suggest that right-wing shootings are more frequent and severe than left-wing shootings ^{[1] [2] [3]}. According to the sources, right-wing terrorists are responsible for a higher percentage of murders, with some sources reporting that they account for 11% of total murders ^[1], while left-wing terrorists account for around 2% ^[1]. However, when excluding the 9/11 attacks, the percentages change to 63% for right-wing and 10% for left-wing ^[1]. Additionally, some sources note that left-wing extremists have not often targeted people with deadly violence since the late 1980s ^[2]. The sources also highlight the importance of addressing online extremism and the need for a comprehensive approach to preventing and countering domestic terrorism ^{[3] [2]}. The threat of politically motivated terrorism is relatively small, but the frequency and severity of such attacks can vary over time ^[1].

• Key findings:

Right-wing terrorists are responsible for a higher percentage of murders ^[1]

Left-wing terrorists account for a lower percentage of murders ^[1]

The threat of politically motivated terrorism is relatively small ^[1]

The frequency and severity of such attacks can vary over time ^[1]

Online extremism is a significant concern ^{[3] [2]}

**2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints**

Some sources suggest that **political violence is on the rise in America, driven by a mix of extremist ideologies** ^[4], and that **the legitimization of violence is increasing** ^[5]. However, these sources do not provide a direct comparison of frequency and severity between left-wing and right-wing shootings ^{[5] [4]}. Additionally, some sources note that **women play a significant role in extremist-related violence, as both victims and perpetrators** ^[3]. The sources also highlight the importance of addressing the root causes of extremism, such as polarization and online radicalization ^{[5] [3]}. **Alternative viewpoints suggest that the focus should be on addressing the underlying causes of extremism, rather than just comparing the frequency and severity of left-wing and right-wing shootings** ^{[5] [4]}.

Missing context:

The role of women in extremist-related violence ^[3]

The impact of polarization and online radicalization on extremism ^{[5] [3]}

The need to address the root causes of extremism ^{[5] [3]}

Alternative viewpoints:

Focus on addressing the underlying causes of extremism ^{[5] [4]}

Consideration of the role of women in extremist-related violence ^[3]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement asks for a comparison of frequency and severity between left-wing and right-wing shootings, but does not provide context on the sources of the data or the time period being considered. Some sources suggest that the data may be influenced by the exclusion of certain events, such as the 9/11 attacks ^[1]. Additionally, the sources may have different definitions of "left-wing" and "right-wing" extremism, which could impact the comparison ^{[1] [2]}. The statement may also be biased towards emphasizing the difference between left-wing and right-wing shootings, rather than considering the broader context of extremism ^{[5] [4]}. The sources that benefit from this framing are those that focus on the comparison between left-wing and right-wing shootings, such as ^[1] and ^[1], while those that emphasize the need to address the root causes of extremism, such as ^[5] and ^[3], may be marginalized ^{[1] [5] [4]}.