2020 US Presidential Election

[Rockman]

Banning all guns may help mitigate but then illegal firearms will still be here and people cannot defend themselves legally. There is always a caveat but my priority is still the kids.

That's a very good point. Medal detectors in every school and guards would be a start.

 

[Paul1980]

Ya it's time to take action. I just don't know how to do it. Only thing that can be done is completely banning all firearms. Where I live they do background checks and call you in a few days if you're approved.

Ban assualt rifles.

We banned bump stocks after Las Vegas. In fact Trump banned them. Why did we do that, if nothing can be done?

Yes, do something about mental health, but something, not lip service. Republicans generally do nothing about social issues. So when they talk about it, they don't mean it.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Ban assualt rifles.

We banned bump stocks after Las Vegas. In fact Trump banned them. Why did we do that, if nothing can be done?

Yes, do something about mental health, but something, not lip service. Republicans generally do nothing about social issues. So when they talk about it, they don't mean it.

View attachment 50370

Pistols and regular rifles can still kill but yeah we really don't need automatic guns imo.

 

[Ed209]

Banning all guns may help mitigate but then illegal firearms will still be here and people cannot defend themselves legally. There is always a caveat but my priority is still the kids.

Its all about restricting access. Other countries have done this successfully, but the US is shamefully backward in regards to this issue. No other country has as many mass shootings as the US does, and this directly correlates to the ease in which weapons can be accessed.

It's simply crazy that in some states anyone can walk into a shop and buy a bunch of assault rifles, magazines, and sidearms. It's beyond insane. If you're a maniac with homicidal tendencies then it's like walking into a candy store.

Here's some basic stats (sourced from a BBC article, not the best way to do this, but it gives one an idea):

 

[Rockman]

Its all about restricting access. Other countries have done this successfully, but the US is shamefully backward in regards to this issue. No other country has as many mass shootings as the US does, and this directly correlates to the ease in which weapons can be accessed.

It's simply crazy that in some states anyone can walk into a shop and buy a bunch of assault rifles, magazines, and sidearms. It's beyond insane. If you're a maniac with homicidal tendencies then it's like walking into a candy store.

Here's some basic stats (sourced from a BBC article, not the best way to do this, but it gives one an idea):

View attachment 50372

View attachment 50373

I don't think you can just buy guns like candy. I think it's a federal law for background checks. Did Europe completely ban all guns?

 

[Ed209]

Pistols and regular rifles can still kill but yeah we really don't need automatic guns imo.

You don't need any guns. Most people will not fire a gun at another human being because they are incapable of crossing that line. Psychopaths and hardened criminals don't have that problem.

I know the main argument is based around self-defence, but when guns are taken out of circulation we know that statistically shootings, and particularly mass shootings, dramatically reduce in number. And when most civilised people are incapable of shooting another person, it just means that those who can kill will continue doing so in big numbers whilst those using the guns as defence quiver and get shot anyway.

If the black market was the only way to access weapons then the costs would skyrocket, and it would severely limit who could get hold of them. That also means that 23-year-old psychotic and homicidal Jimmy who lives by the local elementary school can't just nip to shops and start killing kids by the afternoon.

Anyone who defends the current gun laws insight of all the information we have cannot be right in the head.

 

[Ed209]

I don't think you can just buy guns like candy. I think it's a federal law for background checks. Did Europe completely ban all guns?

No, but they are far better controlled and I have no problem with that. My cousin has two shotguns, for example.

Accessing guns in certain states is ridiculously easy. I have been to the US and seen it first hand. In Florida, no permit was required when I was there, and I saw numerous gun stores and people were able to buy guns in the local supermarket and stuff. To us it was absurd, and that's why people from the UK go home and tell people about how crazy it is. The controls were laughable and the access was everywhere.

The numbers alone show how easy it is to gain access to deadly weapons in the US, and it's the only country that seems to have a major issue with mass shootings in schools. It's not a coincidence.

 

[Paul1980]

Did Europe completely ban all guns?

They banned assault rifles.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

If the black market was the only way to access weapons then the costs would skyrocket, and it would severely limit who could get hold of them. That also means that 23-year-old psychotic and homicidal Jimmy who lives by the local elementary school can't just nip to shops and start killing kids by the afternoon.

Agree.

We saw shootings in both trauma level I hospitals where I worked, but we saw child and elderly abuse on a daily basis. One female ER doctor and three OB - children doctors always reported abuse and they spent half their time in court.

 

[Lilah]

Gun sales always increase when Democrats are winning/in office or when there are talks of gun control. Plenty of articles on this. Sales increase even more with talks of Defund the Police, etc. If a bill on any form of gun ban is about to signed, plenty of people across all demographics will rush out to buy guns. What might work better is more security and harsher punishment for people who misuse guns (however now Democrats are letting dangerous criminals go free on low bail amounts), because any talk of gun ban will only increase gun ownership. If an administration wants to get rid of guns, they could follow what was done during the pandemic or ask employers to do so (no vaxx, no job), but this is likely unconstitutional and/or hard to enforce. There will be lots of law suits on this.

When Democrats win, so do gun makers: Column

Gun Sales Soar From Stimulus And Biden's Gun Control Plan Amid Mass Shootings

 

[Ed209]

Sales increase even more with talks of Defund the Police, etc. If a bill on any form of gun ban is about to signed, plenty of people across all demographics will rush out to buy guns. What might work better is more security and harsher punishment for people who misuse guns (however now Democrats are letting dangerous criminals go free on low bail amounts), because any talk of gun ban will only increase gun ownership.

It's not the Wild West anymore. The gun laws should have been reformed years ago just like they have been in every other country. Mass shootings will dramatically reduce in number and the culture surrounding guns will slowly change for the better.

You are advocating that inexperienced and/or psychotic/dangerous people should still have easy access to guns because of the outdated second amendment. Times have moved on significantly from those days. There is no longer a constant threat of war or any need for civilians to be armed on the scale that people are in the US. It's become a toxic culture that you think you need, but you don't. It's almost like a kind of indoctrination. Look at the rest of the world.

Leave the guns for people who have a practical use for them and for those who are vetted and trained. There is absolutely no reason why everyone should have easy access to such highly lethal objects. It makes your neighbourhoods more dangerous and certainly not safer.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

In my area we recently had three free passes from jail where they then used guns at one event and killed four people. This happens far too often.

WWL Radio New Orleans - yesterday

Chuck, do you really want to get into the "put-yourself-in-the-shoes" dialogue? You think that's going to work out well for you? How about you put yourself in the shoes of the families of those that have been injured or killed by people that you and your fellow Democrats let out of jail on this "no-bail" initiative?

How about you put yourself in the shoes of the families of those that have been injured and or killed as a result of relaxed sentencing, or the inability to use sentencing enhancements? You and your fellow Democrats are doing away with all that because we are "over-incarcerating" individuals. How about that "enhanced good time" where if you serve seven days, you get 13 days back. How about those that went out and committed crimes after this?

How about your "Defund the police" mantra that you embarked upon for multiple years? Do you wanna put yourself in the shoes of the victims of those crimes as well? Have you given that any thought?

How about when you and your fellow Democrats put up some of the most liberal judges in the world and elect some of the most liberal prosecutors who, before they ever take office, decide that there are good number of crimes that they're just not gonna prosecute, that they just ignore. Do you wanna put yourself in the shoes of those perpetrator's victims?

Before you start with the "put-yourself-in-their-shoes" diatribe, maybe think about what you've done and then we'll have a discussion.

letting dangerous criminals go free on low bail amounts), because any talk of gun ban will only increase gun ownership.

Many law-abiding citizens and homeowners in my area own a gun or want to purchase one. Home door handles, windows, garage doors are being tested by criminals every day. This is being reported on neighborhood community online sites all day and night. The crime and violence in neighborhoods, on the streets, shopping malls and stores is becoming unreal. A homeowner's police response from a reported call takes time, as there's not enough police. Hospitals are strained from violence as well as abuse.

90 percent of the country backs expanded background checks for gun purchases; high power and rapid discharge weapons are a problem, but until criminals are kept behind bars, law-abiding citizens need protection. Police are not always available to make a house call and provide a homeowner with protection.

https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

 

[Ed209]

Many law-abiding citizens and homeowners in my area own a gun or want to purchase one. Home door handles, windows, garage doors are being tested by criminals every day. This is being reported on neighborhood community online sites all day and night. The crime and violence in neighborhoods, on the streets, shopping malls and stores is becoming unreal. A homeowner's police response from a reported call takes time, as there's not enough police. Hospitals are strained from violence as well as abuse.

90 percent of the country backs expanded background checks for gun purchases; high power and rapid discharge weapons are a problem, but until criminals are kept behind bars, law-abiding citizens need protection. Police are not always available to make a house call and provide a homeowner with protection.

The problem is that the gun laws in the US have been insanely relaxed for far too long compared to every other developed nation on the planet. The UK stopped allowing firearms as a form of self-defence in the 1960s.

The extremely easy access to weapons leads to a never ending arms race and a vicious cycle of mass shootings and other atrocities. The obsession with guns just needs to end. The stats alone are frightening, and it's undeniable that whenever any other country has introduced stronger measures, the number of deaths via guns plummeted thereafter.

I feel sorry for the children in America who have to go to school worrying about whether they are safe from psychotic gunmen. I can't even believe this stuff still gets debated, to be honest. How many more kids have to get slaughtered for change to be enacted? It's the same story being repeated over and over again, and this image I saw yesterday really summed it up:

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Hi @Ed209, many times, during my life I had tears, yesterday and today too.

Virtually every Republican have typically framed the gun violence epidemic in the US as a symptom of a broader mental health crisis. This is a weak statement. Mental health problems - I do think often so with extreme emotional and physical abuse towards others.

34 adolescent mass murderers, all males. 70 percent were described as a loner. 61.5 percent had problems with substance abuse. 48 percent had preoccupations with weapons. 43.5 percent had been victims of bullying. Only 23 percent had a documented psychiatric history of any kind ― which means 3 out of 4 did not.

Myth vs. Fact: Violence and Mental Health

I believe professionals who say that rejection from demanding to be treated special is often another flag of mental illness.

There's just too much to consider when it comes to gun violence within the different US States. Three percent of the population owns a conceivable number of guns.

For sure there should be expanded background checks for gun purchases. High power and rapid discharge weapons should be illegal. Criminals and gangs will always have guns. Court systems in my state are too weak with relaxed sentencing.

A fair amount of the gun violence in my area is from home invasions and police response time is slow. Twice in the last two decades, someone tried to gain entrance into our home while we were home. Talking about getting a fast heartbeat when one or more armed individual(s) opens your front door or garage door with a device. Our garage door is loud.

Those with security guards, including Hollywood and some politicians want to de-fund the police and take guns away from law abiding homeowners while giving criminals rights.

I will keep my needed defense.

 

[Ed209]

Virtually every Republican have typically framed the gun violence epidemic in the US as a symptom of a broader mental health crisis. This is a weak statement. Mental health problems - I do think often so with extreme emotional and physical abuse towards others.

I don't see this as a political issue, and if I was American, I wouldn't really care what either party had to say.

There's just too much to consider when it comes to gun violence within the different US States. Three percent of the population owns a conceivable number of guns.

And that's part of the problem.

For sure there should be expanded background checks for gun purchases. High power and rapid discharge weapons should be illegal. Criminals and gangs will always have guns. Court systems in my state are too weak with relaxed sentencing.

This is true: in every country in the world, criminals and gangs have guns. Reformed laws will not stop them from getting access as we can see this in other countries, including my own.

The US, however, has gun crime and mass shootings that are on another planet. The statistics are sickening, and yet nobody blames the guns. The guns are the problem, and by getting rid of civilian access, these events will stop happening in the numbers you are currently witnessing. It's a no-brainer. Untrained and unvetted civilians shouldn't have guns hoarded up in their homes, it's just insane.

It took one massacre at a school in Dunblane for the UK to ban firearms, and we have only had 5 mass shootings in our entire history. Florida is a similar land mass to the UK but only has about 21 million people living there as opposed to 67 million in the UK. However, the difference in the gun crime statistics is staggering. The reason for this is that if I wanted to murder a bunch of people this week, and I lived in Florida, it would be easy. I could go do my grocery shopping and buy a gun whilst I'm at it because they have gun departments for all civilians to access all over the place. My background check would be fine, so I could start my massacre within about 3 days.

The rest of the world think the US gun laws are crazy, but American citizens can't see the forest for the trees. You are deeply involved in a gun culture and don't know any other way.

My city has many gangs with guns, and my neighbouring city is worse. If civilians were suddenly allowed to use firearms as self-defence then the numbers of gun-related deaths would explode and we'd become similar to Florida (I only use that as an example because of it's land mass).

It has already been proven (via other countries) that more guns is not the answer. If you want your schools and your children to be safe, then the US government need to do a major gun reform. All this talk is pointless as it happens after every mass shooting.

 

[Juan]

Just read the UK has approved a new 25% tax on oil companies.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Ed209, this is just part of my area and a very small part of down the drain California.

The 15 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Sacramento: 2022's Ultimate List – Upgraded Home

Total crime is much higher than total crime reported.

You wouldn't want to let your family out of your sight. No bicycle riding, no playing in front yard, no walking down the street and never let them go to national chain stores without you. Totally forget about going to the park even with you in attendance. Forget about going outside with tinnitus as there's too many firecrackers and sirens. If your wife was going somewhere, you would want her to phone you often.

Because of gangs, both trauma hospitals where I worked, had police cars that formed a campus parade. Both hospitals also had campus security that resembled professional football teams. Many gang and criminal guns come from outside the country.

I live in a rather upscale area, but police have told us many times to get a companion if you want to try to sleep at night and it doesn't matter if you have a good security system with many cameras. It's difficult to hear things with loud tinnitus.

Just read your recent post, besides others, I guess we have some disagreement on this topic.

 

[Ed209]

@Ed209, this is just part of my area and a very small part of down the drain California.

The 15 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Sacramento: 2022's Ultimate List – Upgraded Home

Total crime is much higher than total crime reported.

You wouldn't want to let your family out of your sight. No bicycle riding, no playing in front yard, no walking down the street and never let them go to national chain stores without you. Totally forget about going to the park even with you in attendance. Forget about going outside with tinnitus as there's too many firecrackers and sirens. If your wife was going somewhere, you would want her to phone you often.

Because of gangs, both trauma hospitals where I worked, had police cars that formed a campus parade. Both hospitals also had campus security that resembled professional football teams. Many gang and criminal guns come from outside the country.

I live in a rather upscale area, but police have told us many times to get a companion if you want to try to sleep at night and it doesn't matter if you have a good security system with many cameras. It's difficult to hear things with loud tinnitus.

Just read your recent post, besides others, I guess we have some disagreement on this topic.

I just saw Ted Cruz dodging the question of gun control in the most slime ball way possible. If I was related to a victim of one of these atrocities I'd be appalled and outraged. It's people like him who are continuing to allow this stuff to happen unopposed. I mean, there's more than one gun per person in circulation in the US, so it's just mind-blowing to me that your senators allow this to go on.

The racist scum who gunned down black people in Buffalo bought the assault rifle from a store, and his dad gave him a handgun. The guy had written about wanting to commit a mass murder-suicide numerous times and was clearly disturbed and full of hate. But, it's his constitutional right to have those guns. It fucking sickens me in all honesty. The second amendment is continually used as a means to commit mass murder, and nobody is prepared to stand up and help change the situation. No country needs 120 guns per 100 people.

The defence argument is a misnomer. If hardened criminals break into someone's home then the best chance they have of staying alive is to either run away - if possible - or comply and hope they don't get killed. If an untrained civilian pulls a gun in such a situation then they dramatically increase their chances of dying. It is far more likely that the intruders will shoot that person without blinking whilst those defending themselves violently shake with fear trying to overcome the reflex that stops them from pulling the trigger. There is always the option to leave a bad area as well.

One of my aunties lives in a notoriously bad part of Manchester where gun and gang crime is rife. She has been mugged and assaulted numerous times, including being hit on the head with a hammer when she got her handbag stolen, and being held up by a gun so gang members could break into her home and steal her stuff. I can only imagine what would have happened to her if she had a gun and tried to use it.

This argument boils down to one very simple premise: guns shouldn't be so easily available, and those without a need for them shouldn't own them.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

High power and rapid discharge weapons should be illegal. Buying weapons on the interest should be illegal.

Expanded backgrounds checks for gun purchases with a longer waiting period is needed. A police officer interview with application for license - and if sound, a classroom educational course including safety and use training and a written exam. I can think of other requirements to add. A $500.00 - $700.00 fee for this seems reasonable. I been well trained.

Told many times from police officers at hospitals that gangs smuggle weapon parts into the country. That criminals and gangs will always have guns even if every US manufacturer is shut down, but the Texas guy last week probably wouldn't have been able to purchase weapons as well as many day criminals. There are many interesting facts about a black gun market, and one is that criminals and gangs will import more guns to sell to non-gang rivals - a middleman will then sell them illegally.

Every policeman that I had talk to says that law abiding citizens with training should be able to have a single shot weapon for home protection since criminals do. I'm not going to let someone gain entry into our home and hurt my wife. Had two close calls where two together got into our garage and the other time one had our door open ready to step in. With someone waiting in a car. All had guns. If I didn't have a gun, my wife and I could be dead.

 

[Rockman]

I don't see this as a political issue, and if I was American, I wouldn't really care what either party had to say.

And that's part of the problem.

This is true: in every country in the world, criminals and gangs have guns. Reformed laws will not stop them from getting access as we can see this in other countries, including my own.

The US, however, has gun crime and mass shootings that are on another planet. The statistics are sickening, and yet nobody blames the guns. The guns are the problem, and by getting rid of civilian access, these events will stop happening in the numbers you are currently witnessing. It's a no-brainer. Untrained and unvetted civilians shouldn't have guns hoarded up in their homes, it's just insane.

It took one massacre at a school in Dunblane for the UK to ban firearms, and we have only had 5 mass shootings in our entire history. Florida is a similar land mass to the UK but only has about 21 million people living there as opposed to 67 million in the UK. However, the difference in the gun crime statistics is staggering. The reason for this is that if I wanted to murder a bunch of people this week, and I lived in Florida, it would be easy. I could go do my grocery shopping and buy a gun whilst I'm at it because they have gun departments for all civilians to access all over the place. My background check would be fine, so I could start my massacre within about 3 days.

The rest of the world think the US gun laws are crazy, but American citizens can't see the forest for the trees. You are deeply involved in a gun culture and don't know any other way.

My city has many gangs with guns, and my neighbouring city is worse. If civilians were suddenly allowed to use firearms as self-defence then the numbers of gun-related deaths would explode and we'd become similar to Florida (I only use that as an example because of it's land mass).

It has already been proven (via other countries) that more guns is not the answer. If you want your schools and your children to be safe, then the US government need to do a major gun reform. All this talk is pointless as it happens after every mass shooting.

I agree with you. What are the rules to get a gun in the UK?

 

[Ed209]

I agree with you. What are the rules to get a gun in the UK?

Most guns are prohibited, but to acquire a shotgun license you need to do this:

My cousin has two shotguns and it took him ages to get the license. You have to be fully vetted, and you need referees. The police look into your background and you have to show them where the gun will be stored. They can do random checks whenever they want, and if the gun is not locked into a secure unit then you lose the gun and the license.

It's mostly farmers who apply in the UK because they use them to kill invading animals. My cousin is part of a clay pigeon community, so for him it's sport shooting.

 

[Rockman]

Most guns are prohibited, but to acquire a shotgun license you need to do this:

View attachment 50383

View attachment 50384

My cousin has two shotguns and it took him ages to get the license. You have to be fully vetted, and you need referees. The police look into your background and you have to show them where the gun will be stored. They can do random checks whenever they want, and if the gun is not locked into a secure unit then you lose the gun and the license.

It's mostly farmers who apply in the UK because they use them to kill invading animals. My cousin is part of a clay pigeon community, so for him it's sport shooting.

Thank you. Learn something new everyday.

 

[Paul1980]

What are the rules on firearms licences in the UK?

U.S. has gun ownership rate of 120/100. That means statistically you and I own 1.2 guns. We have the highest firearm homicide rate, second highest suicide by firearm rate, and of course we are way ahead in mass shootings. The only place with higher suicide rate is Greenland.

How US gun culture stacks up with the world

If we really need to have people buy assault rifles, then fine, but not make it that easy. Sorry. It doesn't say bazooka in the constitution, nor does it say AR-15. Wait until the next shooting. Will it be 50, 100, 500 dead kids?

And of course, we are seeing the press, and now the politicians blame the cops. What are the cops supposed to do. And as far as Governor Abbott and Costello, the police were against almost every gun law or lack of one that he signed. They were against permitless carry, and others. Abbott just ignored them. Back the Blue. It's lip service. Now he says he was misled. I thought he was getting good at reporting the mass shootings. He still needs practice I guess. Liar. Jesus isn't going to be happy with him.

He also didn't allow red-flag laws to take effect. It is almost if he is willing to accept this carnage.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

@Ed209, I thought about not posting to your response because we been best of buddies for years. You are very dear to me and have given me much support and kindness. I'm not doing well and more so at this moment.

When the guy broke our front door and had both feet inside our house his hands were on the door. A gun handle was sticking out of his front pants pocket. I was in a kitchen sitting area behind a computer facing the front door. My companion was right beside me. My wife was in a bedroom down the hall from the front door and there wasn't a way for her to escape. The guy ran off when he saw I had taken a major advantage. Police found him and he was wanted for murders and rapes done by home invasion. Police said I did good and for sure saved our lives.

Police also said the same when two entered our garage. The same two later did the same at another home. They came up against two big guys with companions and the bad guys were arrested. They also were wanted for murder and rape.

Worked in two level I trauma hospitals, with about 50% of time in ER over 28 years. Seen so much. Talked to victims and was often present when police were taking reports. So much to say from my experiences. I'll end my thoughts and postings on this here, but I do think that we have lots in agreement.

 

[Ed209]

@Ed209, I thought about not posting to your response because we have been best of buddies for years. You are very dear to me and have given me much support and kindness. I'm not doing well and more so at this moment.

When the guy broke our front door and had both feet inside our house his hands were on the door. A gun handle was sticking out of his front pants pocket. I was in a kitchen sitting area behind a computer facing the front door. My companion was right beside me. My wife was in a bedroom down the hall from the front door and there wasn't a way for her to escape. The guy ran off when he saw I had taken a major advantage. Police found him and he was wanted for murders and rapes done by home invasion. Police said I did good and for sure saved our lives.

Police also said the same when two entered our garage. The same two later did the same at another home. They came up against two big guys with companions and the bad guys were arrested. They also were wanted for murder and rape.

Worked in two level I trauma hospitals, with about 50% of time in ER over 28 years. Seen so much. Talked to victims and was often present when police were taking reports. So much to say from my experiences. I'll end my thoughts and postings on this here, but I do think that we have lots in agreement.

There's nothing personal, buddy, it's just a gun debate.

The problem is the easy access to guns, Greg. It leads go an arms race where everyone feels they need a gun because everyone else has one. Home invasions with guns would become extremely rare occurrences if it wasn't so easy for regular folk to get their hands on a gun, so if the weapons in circulation were drastically reduced, it would pretty much stop stuff like that from happening. What you'd have is unarmed intruders like we have in this country (or armed with knives, etc). Then it's still a case of run if you can, but if you can't, it dramatically increases one's odds of not being shot to death. Most people here use bats and stuff.

If a significant proportion of guns were taken out of circulation (reducing the amount to the sane levels that we see in other countries), then it would mostly be the organised criminals who'd be left with weapons. This doesn't pose a significant threat to civilian life because weapons in these instances are mostly used gang-on-gang or in armed robberies, etc. It becomes more of a police issue, and they are armed.

I see no logical argument for a continuation of the current gun laws in face of all the massacres that have happened in the US. If something doesn't change now then more children and other innocent people will die.

 

[Juan]

Every policeman that I had talk to says that law abiding citizens with training should be able to have a single shot weapon for home protection since criminals do. I'm not going to let someone gain entry into our home and hurt my wife. Had two close calls where two together got into our garage and the other time one had our door open ready to step in. With someone waiting in a car. All had guns. If I didn't have a gun, my wife and I could be dead.

If no one had guns that should not be a problem. In Spain it's very hard to be authorised to own a gun, a weapon that can be easily concealed.

Some people go hunting and they have rifles. I am not into weapons, so I do not know the details, how the licences for hunting work, but I do know that most people in Spain do not own any firearm.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

A couple of news stories that came across my computer screen tonight:

Authorities say a woman in West Virginia fatally shot a man who began firing an AR-15-style rifle into a crowd of people at a party.

A woman in West Virginia fatally shot a man who began firing an AR-15-style rifle into a crowd of people that had gathered for a party, authorities said.

A man 37, was killed after he pulled out the rifle and began shooting at dozens of people attending the birthday-graduation party outside an apartment complex in the city of Charleston, police said in a statement.

A woman, who was attending the party, drew a pistol and fired, killing the man, the statement said.

"Instead of running from the threat, she engaged with the threat and saved lives last night," Chief of Detective told news outlets.

The man was at the apartment complex earlier in the evening in a vehicle and had been warned to slow down because children were playing, police said. They said he left, but returned later, parked in front of the complex and began firing.

After fatally shooting the man, the woman waited along with several witnesses for police to arrive, and all have cooperated with the investigation, authorities said.

No charges would be filed against the woman.

------------------------------------

Tuscaloosa police arrested a woman Thursday afternoon after a road rage incident led to a shooting in a parking lot.
According to witnesses, a woman pulled into a parking lot and confronted a man and his girlfriend, believing they had cut her off in traffic. The woman reportedly pointed a gun at the man, and he fired a weapon in return, hitting her vehicle.

A Tuscaloosa Police officer was in the parking lot at the time and heard the shots. The officer confronted the man and took him into custody. After investigating what happened, the woman was taken into custody and charged with menacing. Her bond was set for $1,000.

It was determined that the man who fired the shots acted in self-defense and was not charged.

 

[Greg Sacramento]

The problem is the easy access to guns

I don't disagree with that or anything else that you had mentioned, other than this: Responsible law-abiding citizens after going thru all the procedures that we both mentioned should be able to own a small weapon for self-defense. Against an armed criminal coming into your home trying to kill or rape when there's no escape.

Every second counts, when in an active shooter situation, and that the longer a threat is allowed to remain, the more lives will be lost.

 

[Carlos1]

Its all about restricting access. Other countries have done this successfully, but the US is shamefully backward in regards to this issue. No other country has as many mass shootings as the US does, and this directly correlates to the ease in which weapons can be accessed.

It's simply crazy that in some states anyone can walk into a shop and buy a bunch of assault rifles, magazines, and sidearms. It's beyond insane. If you're a maniac with homicidal tendencies then it's like walking into a candy store.

Here's some basic stats (sourced from a BBC article, not the best way to do this, but it gives one an idea):

View attachment 50372

View attachment 50373

How many of those countries have open borders that allow criminals to pour through the border?

Maybe if the US spent more money on our own citizens instead of just handing BILLIONS to other countries things could actually change. This administration just cares about power and control they deflect the real issues going on. Mental health and National Security are two and I can go on and on.

 

[Ed209]

How many of those countries have open borders that allow criminals to pour through the border?

We're talking about the whole world here, so most of them. The US has a massive gun culture problem. I'm sorry, but more than one gun per citizen is fucked up and is totally unnecessary, and it's why you have so many mass shooting events that involve school children. Every time I hear of a mass shooting in the states that involves little kids it repulses me, especially when people defend the culture whilst they jerk off over their assault rifles. You should be standing up in numbers at this point saying "enough of this shit," but that doesn't happen as nothing ever changes. The supremely easy access to weapons - designed to kill as many people as possible - will continue because of the second amendment and associations like the NRA.

It's just as easy to get a gun over there as it is for me to buy power tools over here, and even background checks will not root out all those teenagers whose first offences happen to be the mass-murder suicides. Many of those who commit these crimes fit into this category - teenagers with no priors where the community always say afterwards that they were pleasant and shy, and how they couldn't believe they committed such an atrocity. Yea, well that's why you shouldn't sell such an array of deadly weapons to just anyone.

Maybe if the US spent more money on our own citizens instead of just handing BILLIONS to other countries things could actually change. This administration just cares about power and control they deflect the real issues going on. Mental health and National Security are two and I can go on and on.

Everybody says this line about their own country. I hear it all the time from my parents, but the fact of the matter is that we take far more from other countries than we give back in most instances. The British Empire stripped resources from other countries and created a lot of wealth from doing so, and the US is no different. They force other countries to trade in petrodollars to your advantage, and they invade other countries at will. It's also important to build political alliances, and that's why all countries have foreign aid policies. I think all political parties are just as useless as each other as there's too much corruption and gerrymandering going on.

You've had it good for a long time, just like we had it good for a long time. These empires go around in cycles.