How do we make it stop?

Fred

Our city, Dayton, Ohio became the 250th victim in 2019 of a mass shooting today. At 1:07AM, this morning a 24 year old man, dressed in body armor and weilding an AK style weapon with several high capacity magazines walked to one of our very popular night spots, the Oregon Historic District, and opened fire, killing nine people and wounding 26 others. This area is so heavily patronized that, on the weekends, the police have a heavy presence, walking the area. The damage was done in less than one minute, before police neutralized the situation and killed the shooter, making him the 10th to die. Repots say, had they not taken him down in that one minute window, he had enough ammunition to take hundreds of lives. In the gun fire, he even killed his younger sister and her boyfriend who were down there enjoying a summer Saturday night. Where does it all end? Can we be so selfish that we are willing to let innocent people die, in mass, for the sake of the right to carry military style arms, even when some of the carriers are not mentally fit to do so?

ChrisJ

I don't know Fred, but if someone wants to start a political argument this is probably the best fuel.

Zman

The type of weapon certainly multiplies the the casualty count but is not the route cause.

Our society's approach in dealing with mental health issues needs to be front and center when looking at all of these cases.

I also find it difficult to ignore the sharp rise in racially motivated shootings in the last few years. Not trying to get into politics, but think about it..

It is deeply saddening to say the least...

Jamie Hall

I have yet to see a politician put forward a reasonable and practical solution.

Just as food for thought, though, I would point out that everyone -- every man, woman or child -- has a positive duty to be able to defend their loved ones and family from evil, and they must be allowed the means to do so. To count on "them" to do so is, as we have seen, not sufficient -- and to refuse to do so (and provide one's self with the means to do so) is, in my mind, cowardly -- and to deprive others of the means to do so is totalitarian and, again, evil.