Taken from the BBC report of today's atrocity in Co Durham.
• The latest available Home Office data shows firearms were used in 12,995 recorded crimes in England and Wales in 2009-10, a 9% decrease on 2008-09, and the sixth consecutive annual fall
• Excluding air weapons, firearm offences decreased by 2% to 8,067
• Handguns were used in 3,748 offences during 2009-10, a fall of 12% on 2008-09
• Overall, firearm offences involving any type of injury increased by 5% in 2009-10, from 2,458 in 2008-09 to 2,574. This followed a large fall of 41% in 2007-08
• There were 40 fatal injuries from crimes involving firearms in 2009-10
Note the use of the word 'Decrease' in most of those stats.