Spotlight: Las Vegas mass shooting has many Americans revisiting gun debate

Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-04 13:58:09|Editor: Liangyu
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People attend a candle light vigil to mourn the victims of a mass shooting in Las Vegas, the United States, on Oct. 2, 2017. At least 59 people were killed and 527 others wounded after a gunman opened fire Sunday on a concert in Las Vegas in the U.S. state of Nevada, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

LAS VEGAS, the United States, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The deadliest mass shooting in modern American history that killed at least 59 people and injured more than 500 has thrust the debate on gun rights into the spotlight once again.

Some are calling for tighter gun control, some oppose new firearms laws, while others are suddenly undecided.

According to the non-profit organization Gun Violence Archive, the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas late Sunday night was the 273rd mass shooting in the United States in the 275 days of 2017 so far.

Mass shootings, a nearly daily occurrence in the United States, are when four or more people are slain by gunfire in one incident, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

GRIEF IS NOT ENOUGH

In the wake of Sunday night's tragedy in Las Vegas, stars, many Democrats and gun-control advocates are once again demanding a tighter gun control policy.

"There should be more background checks and restrictions; no one should be allowed to have that many guns in hand at all," local resident Francisco Basuito told Xinhua.

"There should be more control on this," said Basuito, who lit up candles with his family on Monday night to mourn and pray for the shooting victims.

"Can we discuss the loss of rights of people going to a concert because of the lack of assault rifle regulations?" American singer-songwriter and actress Sheryl Crow tweeted.

Several of the leading potential Democratic 2020 presidential candidates were quick to blame mass killings on guns, according to local media reports.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton jumped into the debate as well. "We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA (the National Rifle Association), and work together to try to stop this from happening again," Clinton tweeted.

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel gave a tearful, emotional monologue at the start of his show Monday night, as he called for gun control in the aftermath of the mass shooting in his hometown of Las Vegas.

"I don't know why our so-called leaders continue to allow this to happen. Or maybe a better question is why do we continue to let them allow it to happen," said Kimmel, who criticized the White House's response to the shooting.

In a press briefing Monday, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said it was "not the time" for a political debate about gun control.

"I think now is the time for political debate," said Kimmel. He noted that the suspected gunman obtained his arsenal of semi-automatic weapons legally and passed a government-mandated background check when purchasing them.

The suspected gunman, identified as 64-year-old gambler Stephen Paddock, opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel into the crowd at an outdoor music festival where Jason Aldean was playing.

IT'S NOT THE GUNS

"I don't agree with the gun control things," blood donor Tracy Lee told Xinhua at a blood service center in Las Vegas. "I am very much a shooter. I enjoy being able to protect myself with my gun."

Conservatives accused Democrats of "politicizing" the tragedy and said existing laws should be more strongly enforced. According to local media reports, Republicans in U.S. Congress have already made clear that they do not consider the Las Vegas shooting to be a reason for changing existing gun laws.

After the latest mass shooting in the United States, stocks in the gun industry rose. The massacre could also impel Americans to start buying more guns as they look to better protect themselves.

Paddock, the shooter, purchased weapons legally from at least two Nevada gun shops, New Frontier Armory and Guns & Guitars. The owner of the New Frontier Armory, in North Las Vegas, said that all necessary background checks and procedures were followed, as required by local, state and federal law.

"The media doesn't understand that anyone in the United States -- in any state besides Illinois -- can buy a machine gun -- or even more deadly weapons," Kent Harris, a supporter of the NRA, told Xinhua. "It takes about two years for the clearance to come through and then you can buy an automatic weapon," said Harris, who owns several machine guns.

"It's not the guns -- it's the people who are the problem," said Harris.

"Honestly, I don't think gun control could stop this," Southern California tourist Allie Sibley told Xinhua. "Even with more gun control, people who want to do bad things are still gonna find ways to do that."

CHANGING MINDS ON GUN CONTROL

At the Route 91 Harvest Festival on the Las Vegas Strip, the Texas country group Josh Abbott Band performed on Sunday afternoon, hours before the shooter began firing into the audience.

"I've been a proponent of the 2nd Amendment my whole life," band guitarist Caleb Keeter, previously a lifelong gun rights advocate, said in a tweeted statement on Monday. "Until the events of last night. I cannot express how wrong I was."

The second Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted in 1791.

"Enough is enough," he tweeted, before adding later, "We need gun control RIGHT. NOW."

Keeter's message found a large audience and sparked a number of replies. Not only the guitarist, but many people have started to reflect on their stance on guns.

"I worry about the safety in America a lot, because it feels like it has been happening more and more through the past few years," local resident Jade Marie Fliegman, who was locked down in one of the casinos in the massacre, told Xinhua, obviously referring to shootings.

"I don't think really gun control will have much to do with it, it's more the people that are given the guns," she said. However, she added that if there were no guns to begin with, the tragedy might have been prevented.

"I am not against it (gun rights), but I am not a hundred percent for it now. I am kind of in the middle," she said. Enditem

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