The Violence Policy Center's recent study indicates that the number of gun deaths in Alabama far exceeds the national rate of 10.32 per 100,000 residents. That number includes suicides, homicides and accidental shootings.

Houston County Sheriff Andy Hughes says “We have not seen a huge increase in fire arms deaths, but what we have seen is a lot of incidents of people shooting at each other and not inflicting a lot of bodily damage but firing a lot of shots.”

In Alabama, as long as you have not committed a felony or a crime of moral turpitude, you can be 18 to purchase a long gun or a rifle, and 21 years old to purchase a hand gun. Sheriff Hughes says he thinks Alabama’s gun laws are good as they stand.

“There is easy access to guns, but I’m a firm believer in 2nd amendment rights, I’m a firm believer that every citizen has the right to purchase a fire arm and to keep that fire arm and use that fire arm in defense of themselves or another,” says Sheriff Hughes.

District Attorney Doug Valeska says stricter gun laws won't solve the problem.

“What part of your body tells you to pull the trigger or commit the robbery...it's your brain. So to try to tighten up or use the excuse you know that the gun laws are lax, we run background checks on them, you have to get a pistol permit; criminals are going to continue to buy guns to get guns because it's very lucrative,” says Valeska.

Sheriff Hughes suggests anger management education may help prevent some homicides.

But some residents like Machroyce Corbitt feels the laws need to change.

“I think the gun laws are little bit too loose, because there's too many people getting guns, carrying them and they're a lot of young people and some are old.”

Alabama is also one of a handful of states that has the "castle law" which allows homeowners to defend themselves on their property or in their vehicle.

It gives the person the right to shoot a person who is trying to break into their home or car jack them.

Other states topping the study's list for a high rate of gun deaths are Louisiana, Alaska, Mississippi, and Nevada.