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10 Mass Shootings That Occurred Using Legally Purchased Weapons
Over the span of 2015, it was hard to get away from news of random gun violence. Random shootings and gun violence are at all time high across the US. Roughly 80 percent of the perpetrators involved in mass shootings in the past decade purchased their weapons legally. This puts into question whether current gun policies work and if they help prevent gun related violence.
San Bernardino, California shootings
Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik were able to legally purchase two assault weapons and two semi-automatic handguns. These guns were responsible for killing 14 and injuring 21 people at an office holiday party. The tragedy is now being dubbed as an act of terrorism.
Savannah, Georgia Killings
Two gunmen killed one person and injured three others. This shooting happened the same day as the San Bernardino massacre.
Dangerous mistake-Charleston Church Shootings
Shooter Dylann Roof should have never been able to make a legal gun purchase. Roof had previously been charged with drug possession. However, the FBI background system failed and he was able to purchase a .45-caliber gun that was used to kill 9 people.
Umpqua Community College Killings
Student Christopher Harper-Mercer had a history of problems. Harper-Mercer graduated high school from the Switzer Learning Center in Torrance, Calif.. The center specializes in helping students with learning disabilities and emotional issues. After that he had a very brief stint in the Army. He was discharged prior to completing basic training. He was able to legally purchase six guns which were involved in the shootings which killed nine people.
Roanoke, Va. shootings of reporters
Vester Lee Flanagan II, former reporter at WDBJ in Virgina shot and killed a reporter and camera man. He also injured a woman who was being interviewed at the time of the killings. The killings were broadcast live as he committed these crimes. The weapon he used in these killings was purchased legally through a gun dealer.
Flanagan had a track record of problems in the workplace. He had been fired from a station in Florida. He then sued the network alleging bullying and harassment. He was fired from WDBJ in 2013. He sited the victims as being responsible for race discrimination against him.
2015 Movie Theater killings-Lafayette, LA
John R. Houser bought a semiautomatic pistol from a pawnshop that he used to kill two people and injure 9. Houser’s history with weapons spans back to 2006. He was denied a concealed carry permit because he had criminal charges against him. Two years later he was institutionalized. Then in 2014, he bought a weapon in Alabama legally despite being denied a concealed carry permit previously.
Student murders two in high school cafeteria in Marysville, Wash.
Jaylen Ray Fryberg took his father’s pistol to school and killed four students in the school cafeteria. He texted five students to join him in the cafeteria where he started shooting. Fryberg’s father had a permanent domestic violence protection order against him which should have prevented him from legally purchasing a weapon. It was discovered that when Mr. Fryberg applied to buy the gun the protection on an Indian reservation. The protection order was never entered into the federal background check system database.
Army Specialist opened fired Fort Hood
Army Specialist Ivan Lopez was home after a brief tour of duty in Iraq. Lopez said he suffered a severe head injury there. The injury never happened and he was in the process of being evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder. He had a history of mental health issues and was in therapy prior to the shootings. He was able to legally purchase a gun that was used to kill 3 people and wound 16.
Washington Navy Yard Killings
Aaron Alexis was honorably discharged from the Navy. Alexis had a background of conduct and behavior issues while there. He did seek treatment several times for mental health issues. An interesting fact about the case is that he was restricted from buying an assault rifle in Virginia. However, he was able to buy a shot gun which was used to kill 12 people.
Sandyhook School Shootings
Adam Lanza used a gun owned by his mother to carry out the school Sandy Hook shootings. He killed his mother and 26 people. He obtained the weapons from his mother, Nancy Lanza. She was a gun enthusiast. She had a large collection of weapons in their home which she purchased legally. Adam Lanza struggled with developmental disorders through his childhood. He was very shy and had no friends. He was never treated for any of his problems which included anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.