
but I suspect gangland killings and armed robberies are by far the bigger problem.
( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 11:12, Reply)

he's killed 15 people and it's got on the news and it's shocked everybody.
US-wide there are on average about 35 deaths by shooting a day.
(12,632 in 2007 according to Wikipedia)
EDIT: homicides only, not including accidents or suicide
( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 11:17, Reply)

( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 11:25, Reply)

That it's easy to obtain a gun illegally in America?
Yes, I agree.
( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 12:08, Reply)

I can't prove it, but it seems likely to me. Why bother complying with the law to get a gun if you're only going to break the law with it anyway, and it's that easy?
Secondly, it doesn't really matter that much how the criminal gangs got the guns, if gun ownership were made totally illegal, they would still have the guns. Only law-abiding citizens would hand their guns in.
( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 12:12, Reply)

legally bought guns would be much easier to trace through ballistic examinaion, so only stupid criminals would buy one through normal channels.
Obviously this doesn't stop crimes of passion, but as I've commented elsewhere, I doubt the lack of a firearm would stop someone who really wants to kill someone.
( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 12:48, Reply)

not the occasional one-offs that get in the news.
( , Fri 20 Jul 2012, 12:57, Reply)