Should We Ban All Type of Assault Weapons?

About 5 minutes of reading, 1040 words.

As you know, mass shootings do happen more frequently every year. Last year from Jan 1 to Feb 19, we had 58 mass shootings1 that killed 70 people and injured 218.This year, in the same period, we have 82 mass shootings, 24 more than last year, that killed 119 people and injured 3352. That is crazy! Did you know that guns surpassed humans in the US?

Yep. There are approximately 400 million guns, whereas there are 330 million people. Sad. However, It is difficult to guess how many assault guns are owned in the US currently. According to one estimate, Americans own about 20 million AR-15s and AK-style rifles, based on the last recorded figures in 20183. I would not be surprised if it increased to 24 million in 2023. Approximately 71.2 million pistol magazines can hold more than ten rounds, and 79.2 million rifle magazines can hold 30 or more rounds in circulation4.An estimated that more than 85% of public mass shootings resulting in four or more deaths are caused by assault rifles5, and a record 2.8 million AR-15 and AK-style rifles were imported into the US in 2022.

According to Gun Violence Archive, the states with the most mass shootings with more than four or more people shot and/or killed in a single incident in the US in 2023 are California (9), Texas (9), Florida (7), North Carolina (7), Louisana (6), and Illinois (5).

In 1994 we did have an assault ban nationwide for ten years as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act; however, the ban was limited to only certain categories of semi-automatic weapons, such as AR-15s, and applied to a ban on sales only after the act was signed into law. So people who bought assault weapons before that date are allowed to keep them, as they were grandfathered to that clause.

Although it is hard to tell if the 1994 assault weapon ban had helped reduce mass shootings, it seemed to help reduce the mass shootings compared to before and after the ban (see the chart below).

The chart also showed the graphic below that the ban did work, at least. It slows down the mass shootings in the period of that time.

Of course, people still had assault weapons after the ban, so some mass shootings already happened afterward. So it did not help because there were other factors that we need to work on, which I will mention later.

We even had the deadliest mass shooting during the ban period - the infamous 1999 Columbine High School massacre. Although assault weapons were already banned, people still had them before the gun. It would still happen anyway.

Notably, the ban had a “sunset provision” in the law that allowed the ban to expire. Congress has a right to be renewed by a vote.

Ten years had passed, and the political climate678 had changed. Needless to say, at that time, the Republicans had full control of Congress. They did let the ban expire in 2004.

That is unfortunate.

As a result, mass shootings have skyrocketed ever since.

Over time, we made a few revisions or amendments to gun control laws, but nothing has been improved. But they do not even try to make gun control laws stronger on the level of state and federal.

Yet, still, at least one mass shooting is happening daily!

Most of the weapons used in mass shootings are semi-automatic guns or rifles.

If we want to reduce mass shootings in the US, we should evaluate, analyze and research all factors that led to people shooting people.

Reducing the incidence of mass shootings is a complex and multifaceted issue, and many factors may contribute to these incidents. Some possible strategies for reducing the risk of mass shootings include:

1. Strengthening gun laws: Many experts believe that reducing access to firearms, particularly high-capacity weapons, and other weapons often used in mass shootings, could help reduce the incidence of these incidents. This could involve universal background checks, banning certain firearms, or implementing waiting periods before firearm purchases.

2. Improving mental health services: Some mass shooters have a history of mental illness or other psychological issues. Improving access to mental health services and support could help identify and treat individuals at risk of committing violent acts.

3. Enhancing school and community safety: Increasing security measures at schools and other public places, such as metal detectors and security cameras, could help prevent or mitigate mass shootings. Improving emergency response protocols and training for law enforcement and other first responders could also help reduce the harm caused by these incidents.

4. Addressing social and economic factors: Some experts suggest that addressing underlying social and economic issues, such as poverty, social isolation, and disaffection, could help reduce the incidence of mass shootings by reducing the number of individuals who feel marginalized or disenfranchised.

It's important to note that reducing the incidence of mass shootings will likely require a comprehensive and sustained effort from policymakers, law enforcement, and communities. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to this complex issue, and multiple strategies may need to be employed to reduce the risk of mass shootings effectively.

In other words, we should rehaul the whole gun control law in every state, or even better, make it federal law and work through the issues we may have and how we fix them for a long-term goal.

Ten years of the ban is not enough to provide statistics. If we still have the ban in effect today, it will probably make a difference, and mass shootings may likely be reduced over time.

We should make it very clear for assault weapon ban to ban all types of semiautomatic and automatic guns with magazines, regardless of the number of bullets in them.

Not only the assault weapon ban, but we should also work on stricter background checks, enhance the school security system, and promote mental health in schools, colleges, and workplaces.