9 Things That Have Killed More Americans Than Syrian Refugees

Including 'vending machines'.
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Donald Trump Jr continued the family legacy of making xenophobic, factually incorrect and just downright daft statements in public yesterday.

The eldest son of the Republican presidential candidate likened Syrian refugees to potentially poisoned Skittles on Tuesday, suggesting that the US should not accept anybody fleeing the war-stricken state.

The tweet was met with general widespread mockery.

Such is the absurdity of the entire thing, Skittles felt inclined to issue a succinct statement to distance themselves from young Trump.

As Trump Jr appears to think Syrian refugees are a deadly threat to Americans, perhaps now is an appropriate time to look at what other life-threatening challenges they face on a daily basis...

9 Things That Have Killed More Americans Than Syrian Refugees.

1) Toddlers with guns.

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In 2015, toddlers with guns were responsible for two deaths in America and injured 10 others.

In one incident a 31-year-old was accidentally killed by his 2-year-old son. his body was found by his wife when she returned home from work.

Even more tragically, 13 toddlers inadvertently killed themselves with guns.

2) Selfies.

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Last year there were four reports of people dying whilst taking selfies in the USA.

One incident involved 19-year-old Deleon Alonso Smith who was posing for an Instagram shot and holding a pistol to his head.

The firearm accidentally went off and the bullet tore into his throat, killing him.

In February 2015, a man was struck by a train and killed while he posed for a photo on railway tracks.

3) The Police.

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The final tally for people shot dead by US police in 2015 was 986. Of those killed, the majority were armed and over half were white, although when adjusted to reflect demographics, black people are three times more likely to be targeted.

3) Lightning.

On average, 31 Americans are killed by lightning every year and 279 are injured.

This means over an 80-year lifespan you’d have a 1 in 13,000 chance of being struck with a one in nine chance it will be fatal.

Best stay indoors...

4) Lawnmowers.

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These gardening staples are responsible for a surprisingly large number of deaths and injuries - possibly due to the American trend for large, ridable versions.

Even more shockingly, 800 children are hurt every year with 600 of these cases resulting in amputations.

5) Black Friday.

The frenzied shopping spectacle that is Black Friday has been the demise of seven individuals since its meteoric rise in popularity.

In one incident in 2011, a shopper who collapsed while shopping at a Target store in West Virginia went almost unnoticed as customers continued to hunt for bargain deals.

Walter Vance, a 61-year-old pharmacist who reportedly suffered from a prior heart condition, later died in hospital, reports MSNBC.

Witnesses say some shoppers ignored and even walked over the man’s body as they continued to shop, reports the New York Daily News.

6) Serial Killers.

Shawn Grate was arrested on Sept. 13, in connection to the investigation of a rescued abductee and the discovery of the remains of two people.
Shawn Grate was arrested on Sept. 13, in connection to the investigation of a rescued abductee and the discovery of the remains of two people.
ASSOCIATED PRESS

According to the Indiana University, the average number of serial killer victims each year ranges from 67 to 180.

The latest case in the US involves Shawn Grate who was arrested when a woman held prisoner in his home managed to phone police.

Authorities are looking into Grate’s possible involvement in the deaths of Rebekah Leicy and an unidentified Marion County woman, according to Cleveland’s WEWS‑TV.

Leicy, 31, disappeared on Feb. 6, 2015. Her body was found in a wooded area of Ashland County a month later. It was initially believed she died as a result of a drug overdose, and it remains unclear why police have reportedly reopened the investigation.

8) Autoerotic asphyxiation.

The practise of increasing sexual excitement by restricting the oxygen supply to the brain is a risky pastime for obvious reasons.

Participants achieve this by hanging, plastic bags over the head or with the use of certain chemicals.

Autoerotic asphyxiation is responsible on average for up to 160 accidental deaths a year.

9) Vending machines.

Nicolas McComber via Getty Images

The humble vending machine can be a killer.

Roughly two people per year are killed trying to lift faulty vending machines.

And as for Americans killed by Syrian refugees...

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A report published last week by the Cato Institute, a Conservative-leaning think tank, found that “the chance of an American being murdered in a terrorist attack caused by a refugee is 1 in 3.64 billion per year.

According to the State Department, of the approximately 785,000 refugees who have settled in the US since the September 11 attacks, fewer than 20 have been arrested on terrorist charges.

None of these were from Syria.

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