Automobiles can't be violent,either, they are also inanimate objects. But we still call them "Automobile accidents". Is that term a "dog whistle"?
"Let's make murdering more than a single person an automatic death penalty offense." It already is. Mass murderers usually perpetrate that penalty upon themselves, as in Vegas last week. That guy spared us the expense of a trial ... mighty thoughtful of him. Like Trump said about the Charlottesville racists, "Some are good people". Would he say the same about mass murderers?

Best,

RTD