Despite its strict gun control laws, the state of California had more “mass slayings” this year than any other state.
A “mass slaying” is a violent crime in which four or more people are killed excluding the perpetrator(s). Most mass slayings never make the news because they do not take place in public places.
This year, 211 people were killed in 41 mass slayings – more than any year since the 1970’s. Perpetrators used guns in most of the killings; 8 were conducted using knives and axes.
“The majority of the killings involved people who knew each other – family disputes, drug or gang violence or people with beefs that directed their anger at co-workers or relatives,” notes The Associated Press.
The state of California witnessed eight of the mass slayings, more than any other state.
This statistic gives ammunition (pun intended) to Second Amendment advocates who argue that gun control laws do not prevent gun violence.
The Golden State has gun registration requirements, ammunition controls, universal background checks, confiscation laws, a 10-day waiting period for firearm purchases, a ban on assault weapons, and limits on how many guns a person can buy each month.
The state forbids concealed carry on campuses, even in the case of arming teachers for possible school shootings, and requires buyers to acquire safety certificates before purchasing a gun.
Despite all of these rules, criminals in California were able to perpetrate eight mass slayings this year.
When asked how to stop the violence, San Francisco resident Marc Coleman said, “Protect the homeland. Take care of ourselves where we’re suffering from, mentally and spiritually, and we’ll stop shooting each other.”
Starting January 1st, California residents will need to be 21 or older to purchase a semi-automatic rifle. Gun licensing and fees will go up and individuals banned from owning guns in any state will be blocked from purchasing them in California.
California is also gearing up to expand its gun-violence restraining order policy, a program that enables police to seize weapons from any person who has threatened violence, to workplaces and schools. Starting next month, anyone slapped with a gun-violence restraining order will be banned from purchasing firearms for five years.
Starting in 2021, California residents will not be allowed to purchase more than one semi-automatic rifle per month.
Author’s Note: Whether you use a gun or any other method, it always has and always will be possible to kill someone if you are willing to die for it.
The mass slayings and school shootings in the US are not the result of lax gun control laws, but rather a product of individual problems and societal function.