Mass Shootings & age of shooters

[Bill Robertson]

While we had "tons of guns" prior to the last 30 years, the proliferation of more carry guns everywhere with no limits is a recent phenomana.

True. But how many cases can you cite where a legally carrying person did a mass shooting. Or any non self defensive shooting. I could just be blocking them out but I can't think of many if any.

[onthestrip]

What limitations were placed on “carry guns” before that have been removed and led to all the mass shootings?

Also what do you consider a carry gun?

It wasnt that long ago that we had a national assault weapon ban, up until 2006 I think. I dont recall many mass shootings during that time, lots more have happened since.

[BoulderSooner]

It wasnt that long ago that we had a national assault weapon ban, up until 2006 I think. I dont recall many mass shootings during that time, lots more have happened since.

assault weapons have always been banned and still are

[PoliSciGuy]

If we could lower our homicide and mass shooting rate to that of say, France, Australia, Britain, and other countries, I would definitely qualify that as good enough. No one is saying that we are going to stop all murder, but we can do is prevent mass shootings at the rate we currently them.

[Rover]

True. But how many cases can you cite where a legally carrying person did a mass shooting. Or any non self defensive shooting. I could just be blocking them out but I can't think of many if any.

I think the last one bought guns legally.

[BoulderSooner]

If we could lower our homicide and mass shooting rate to that of say, France, Australia, Britain, and other countries, I would definitely qualify that as good enough. No one is saying that we are going to stop all murder, but we can do is prevent mass shootings at the rate we currently them.

mass shootings account for a very very small % of gun violence in the USA

[Rover]

No... No they haven't... They may have lessened the problem by removing an effective tool but they have not solved the problem.

As I said. We have been killing each other for 300,000 years.... Or if you are a Christian a little over 2000 years ago when Cain killed Able. Regardless a long time before guns were invented.

Humans have put a lot of time and thought into better ways to kill each other over the centuries... If only we could have put all that time and effort into how to get along without violence... Maybe we could have found the answer by now.

Well, it is human nature so let's just supply them with all the tools they need and make it legal. Only in America does this gun hysteria rule. Ironically these days, it seems the Christian right is leading the charge for giving everyone a clear path.

[Roger S]

If we could lower our homicide and mass shooting rate to that of say, France, Australia, Britain, and other countries, I would definitely qualify that as good enough. No one is saying that we are going to stop all murder, but we can do is prevent mass shootings at the rate we currently them.

Ok... So don't fix the problem.... Just make it less problematic.... Until someone comes up with another way to kill people that is.

So let's say we ban guns (I'm actually not opposed to that despite what most of you probably thought).... Next trend I'm seeing is vehicles. They are easy to get and inflict mass amounts of damage. Are we going to give up our cars when that happens?

[Jersey Boss]

‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens

File under that theory of American Exceptionalism

[Jersey Boss]

Ok... So don't fix the problem.... Just make it less problematic.... Until someone comes up with another way to kill people that is.

So let's say we ban guns (I'm actually not opposed to that despite what most of you probably thought).... Next trend I'm seeing is vehicles. They are easy to get and inflict mass amounts of damage. Are we going to give up our cars when that happens?

Is that what you see in other first world countries? I did not know that.

[MagzOK]

I think part of the issue is the style of parenting and also the lack of recess time at schools. Growing up in the 70s/80s we were playing hard at recess, even tackle football. It was just a regular day when one of us came in with a bloody nose from tackling. These things, including fights at school, teach kids how to deal with pressure, fighting/settling differences, responsibility, and social interaction. Recess is the perfect outlet of the male testosterone/internal aggression, otherwise it's all pent up inside if you don't have an outlet like afternoon sports, etc. But even if you didn't play after school sports, everyone participated in a half-hour of recess and usually outside. The profiles of a lot of these shooters are loners, they have no sports or any other natural aggression release, or they're always inside on computers, etc. We need to go back to the days of letting boys be boys. That being said, I don't think this is the only contributing factor but we really think there's a connection in all of this.

[Bill Robertson]

assault weapons have always been banned and still are

What are usually called assault weapons like AK47s and AR15s and/or clones are readily available at most any store that sells guns.

[Bill Robertson]

I think the last one bought guns legally.

I did say not many.

[PoliSciGuy]

Ok... So don't fix the problem.... Just make it less problematic.... Until someone comes up with another way to kill people that is.

So let's say we ban guns (I'm actually not opposed to that despite what most of you probably thought).... Next trend I'm seeing is vehicles. They are easy to get and inflict mass amounts of damage. Are we going to give up our cars when that happens?

The problem is mass shootings at a scale we don’t see in any other developed country. That solution is gun control. Saying we shouldn’t do this because it won’t solve all murders or because cars can somehow kill people is just asinine and not conducive to discussion.

[Bill Robertson]

The problem is mass shootings at a scale we don’t see in any other developed country. That solution is gun control. Saying we shouldn’t do this because it won’t solve all murders or because cars can somehow kill people is just asinine and not conducive to discussion.

How long would it take for gun control to work? If the US even took COMPLETELY unconstitutional measures and required everyone to relinquish their guns and ammunition the number of people that wouldn't abide by the ruling would leave plenty of guns and ammunition for gun violence to carry on for the foreseeable future.
I would be one of them. We live in an area that had 200k houses before the COVID craziness and the last few years there have been more and more break ins and attempted break ins. I have issues that are making me less and less mobile every year. I'm not giving up my ability to protect myself and the love of my life.

[Roger S]

Is that what you see in other first world countries? I did not know that.

Well now you do. No thanks needed.

[Roger S]

The problem is mass shootings at a scale we don’t see in any other developed country. That solution is gun control. Saying we shouldn’t do this because it won’t solve all murders or because cars can somehow kill people is just asinine and not conducive to discussion.

You mean you can't counter my argument so you attempt to ridicule and demean it to make it less viable?

[GoGators]

I think part of the issue is the style of parenting and also the lack of recess time at schools. Growing up in the 70s/80s we were playing hard at recess, even tackle football. It was just a regular day when one of us came in with a bloody nose from tackling. These things, including fights at school, teach kids how to deal with pressure, fighting/settling differences, responsibility, and social interaction. Recess is the perfect outlet of the male testosterone/internal aggression, otherwise it's all pent up inside if you don't have an outlet like afternoon sports, etc. But even if you didn't play after school sports, everyone participated in a half-hour of recess and usually outside. The profiles of a lot of these shooters are loners, they have no sports or any other natural aggression release, or they're always inside on computers, etc. We need to go back to the days of letting boys be boys. That being said, I don't think this is the only contributing factor but we really think there's a connection in all of this.

The 70's and 80s had incredibly high violent crime/murder rates compared to what we have now. I doubt anyone wants to go back to those days. Definitely not an era we should look to for best practices. Also, sports and recess still exist?

[PhiAlpha]

It wasnt that long ago that we had a national assault weapon ban, up until 2006 I think. I dont recall many mass shootings during that time, lots more have happened since.

Off the top of my head, Columbine and the Edmond post office shootings both happened well before that was repealed or allowed to expire or whatever happened to it. Also I’m not sure the percentage but think well over half of the mass shootings since then have been carried out with weapons that wouldn’t have been covered by it.

In the cases where the shooters weapon of choice would’ve been covered by the ban, do you think that wouldn’t have chosen to carry out the shootings if those weapons weren’t available? Or do you think they would’ve just chosen a similar gun or other means to carry out the attack?

Do you the availability of those weapons is what inspired or caused those shooters to attack people?

[PoliSciGuy]

Off the top of my head, Columbine and the Edmond post office shootings both happened well before that was repealed or allowed to expire or whatever happened to it. Also I’m not sure the percentage but think well over half of the mass shootings since then have been carried out with weapons that wouldn’t have been covered by it.

In the cases where the shooters weapon of choice would’ve been covered by the ban, do you think that wouldn’t have chosen to carry out the shootings if those weapons weren’t available? Or do you think they would’ve just chosen a similar gun or other means to carry out the attack?

Do you the availability of those weapons is what inspired or caused those shooters to attack people?

No, the Edmond post office shooting was before the ban took place. And if the weapons weren't available then yes they would use other means which are less lethal, which is the point. You can't have a Pulse Nightclub or Las Vegas style shooting and body count with a knife.

On the exact same day that the Newtown shooting happened, a crazed man went into an elementary school in China with an intent to kill as many kids as possible. However, he could only procure a knife. He injured 20+ kids but none died. Forcing sickos to use alternate, less effective means of mass murder saves lives.

[Roger S]

The problem is mass shootings at a scale we don’t see in any other developed country. That solution is gun control. Saying we shouldn’t do this because it won’t solve all murders or because cars can somehow kill people is just asinine and not conducive to discussion.

This article is a list from 2018... There have been several more vehicular attacks in the last 4 years.... You honestly can't see a potential trend here?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...cks/544603002/

[PoliSciGuy]

This article is a list from 2018... There have been several more vehicular attacks in the last 4 years.... You honestly can't see a potential trend here?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...cks/544603002/

Most of those are international, not here in the US, and tied to international terrorism. I would be fascinated to see how a possible school shooter would use a car instead of a gun to kill their classmates. Maybe they can fit their parents' GMC Tahoe into the school hallways or something. This whole argument, like your line of "reasoning" so far, is all a red herring.

It's the guns.

[Canoe]

I can't seem to locate actual statistics, but it appears the age of most of the shooters is incredibly young -and all males. I would like to know from a trained psychoanalyst what's happening in these young males to tragically kill so many people. While the shootings at LGBT locations appears to be hate crimes -what about all the school shootings and the age of the shooters?

What's going inside the head/hearts of these young guys?

Encountering radical ideas without having proper masculine leadership in thier life.

[Canoe]

This has to be sarcasm.

I hope the young men around you can find good masculine leadership in thier lives.

[PoliSciGuy]

Encountering radical ideas without having proper masculine leadership in thier life.

I don't think British or Australian or French or Japanese dads are exuding masculine leadership more than American parents are. Do you have any data at all to back this nonsense up?

It's the guns.