gun control is only one small part of the issue, what about ammunition control? perhaps restricting the sale of high capacity magazines? restricting the sale of those super destructive bullets? I dont' know, it seems we ought to be able to agree on at least some steps that could be taken...
at any rate, here are some links with additional information:
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/17/nyregion/sandy-hook-school-shooting-in-newtown.html
and here's the link I was looking for:
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/16/...-at-school-in-connecticut-28-dead-in-all.html
So this was one of those situations where it really didn't matter what sort of security measures may have been in place to screen visitors to the school...
I don't want to participate in this thread or this site, but I feel compelled to address one thing.
Super-destructive bullets and the purchase of large quantities of ammo.
There are many types of ammo. Some of it is lead with a full layer of copper completely covering the cone. That is called "Full-Jacket." That full jacket give the bullet better penetration through things like car doors, light body armor, windows, the thick skin of a boar or bear.
There is "hollow-point" ammo. This ammo usually has a partial coating of copper around the base of the cone and the nose of the cone has been removed and a small indentation exists at the tip of the bullet. This causes the bullet to expand more quickly when it impacts.
Both bullets have been described by gun control advocates as some monstrous innovation intended only to cause greater death and destruction.
A full metal jacket bullet is what our military uses. It penetrates better, but is somewhat less lethal when used against a person wearing no armor. That is because it is more likely to pass through the person and leave a smaller wound because it does not expand as much. The military has no need to kill every enemy soldier dead on the battlefield and wounded soldiers are more taxing on the enemies resources than dead soldiers, so there is some benefit to disabling enemies than in killing them.
Hollow points are better at stopping an non-body armored foe. The bullet's expansion releases almost all of the bullet's force into the person who is shot as well as leaving a larger wound. However, this ammo is particularly poor at penetrating body armor, car doors, or other obstructions. For instance, if you were to fire a hollow point in your apartment at someone attacking you and you missed, the bullet would be much less likely to carry enough force into the neighboring apartment and harm an innocent person. Also, if the person attacking you was particularly large, wearing a leather jacket and hopped up on PCP you may not have enough penetration to stop them in time.
That's just a quick look at two different types of ammo. A factor equally as (if not more) important is the caliber of ammo being used. For instance, almost no body armor can stop a rifle bullet. I'm not talking about "assault-rifles" which is a misnomer as it is predominately used, any rifle, like granpa's old hunting rifle. Use hollow points, soft points, full jacket, whatever. It will most likely penetrate body armor.
On the other hand, hand guns will seldom penetrate good body armor. Besides that, from most of what I've read hollow points are more a marketing ploy in hand gun ammo, as most handguns do not produce the velocity required to cause the ammo to spread in soft tissue. So the bullet usually acts much like a full metal jacket round.
On the contrary, rifle ammo will almost always "mushroom" when it hits tissue. Besides, the force of a rifle bullet will be devastating regardless of ammo type. The best you can hope for if shot by a rifle is that the bullet will pass through you completely carrying much of the force with it.
So again, do you think we should ban the "cop-killing" (hype term) full metal jacket ammo, or the super lethal (hype term) hollow point ammo. I've heard both types should be banned using arguments by people who clearly do not understand the actual performance of ammo in handguns.
On the purchase of large quantities of ammo:
When I purchase a firearm I like to become very proficient in its use. To do this I buy several hundred rounds of ammo and shoot the gun. It is only by shooting the gun several hundred times that I feel competent in its use and confident in the reliability of the firearm. To restrict the number of round I can purchase you would only be reducing my ability to become proficient with that weapon, increasing the chances that I will not use it effectively and/or that I will miss my target, therefore creating greater risk to innocent people.
The statement that guns are only meant to kill is beyond false. Police often use a drawn gun and a verbal command to control a situation. A person holding a gun is typically enough to desuade a would-be attacker from carrying out an attack. The sound of a shotgun being racked will cause a burglar to **** their pants. Guns are meant to push a projectile out the bore and send it in a predictable direction. If guns were only meant to kill then a grenade would be as useful to a police officer as a firearm, as a grenade is as effective at killing as any gun. With a gun you can hit a specific target, or use the treat of the firearm to stop a potential attacker because they and only they could be killed.