On March 27, 2023, a former student returned to their private elementary school in Nashville, shooting and killing six victims. Three of these victims were teachers and three were 9-year-old students, according to news reports.
The shooter was reportedly armed with two assault rifles and a handgun, and was able to gain access to the school through a side door. Once police arrived, they opened fire at the shooter and killed them. While much of the discourse is focusing on a variety of story details including the gender of the shooter, this article will focus on the important issue at hand: more gun violence in America.
Nashville Details
The firearms used in this recent school shooting were identified as an AR-15 military-style rifle, a 9mm Kel-Tec pistol caliber carbine, and a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun. These first two guns were found to have 30-round magazines, meaning that a lot more damage could have been done if the shooter wasn’t stopped.
These firearms, along with four others found during a search of the shooter’s home, were legally purchased within the last few years, according to police. Tennessee law allows any adult to openly carry a gun without needing a permit, however, they do have a “red flag” law that allows guns to be confiscated from anyone appearing to be a threat. Unfortunately, the shooter in this case, who was apparently being treated for an “emotional disorder,” was never identified as a threat.
Mass Shootings in 2023
This is sadly not the first mass shooting this year, or even the first school shooting this year. It’s actually the 13th school shooting of 2023 (so far), and the largest one yet. In terms of all mass shootings, it’s shockingly the 129th mass shooting this year.
Other mass shootings this year include four just in the month of February, taking place in Memphis, Mississippi, Washington D.C. and Michigan. There were also 4 mass shootings in January just in California. One of these incidents had a massive 11 fatalities and at least nine gun-related injuries.
It’s difficult to find helpful patterns amongst these shootings; really the only commonality is the easy access to firearms.
Guns in America
You don’t have to look at many sources to understand just how prevalent gun violence is in America. Not only is this one of hundreds of mass shootings this year, but that doesn’t even take into consideration other recent gun violence. As of 2020, guns have become the leading cause of death among young Americans, beating out car accidents. There were 45,222 deaths in 2020 from gun-related injuries, and that number is only rising. One survey found that over 50% of participants personally know someone who has been shot.
Unfortunately when it comes to creating stricter gun policies in America, the country is fairly split. While many citizens are advocating for making firearms more difficult to obtain – especially assault rifles – others are holding on to their right to bear arms. It will be a difficult journey to instate more restrictions on firearm sales, but it will be an important part in reducing gun violence.