Many if not most of our mass shooters are not previous offenders or terrorists. Meaning they would get a gun no matter how draconian you make the laws. And the ones who couldn't get a gun legally stole it. Criminals don't care about gun laws. You will never get the illegal guns off the street. Stricter laws just take them out of the hands of law abiding people who actually respect laws. That good guy with a gun might be the one to stop the next mass shooting.
Many have mental health issues though. In the UK your doctors' records would stop you getting a gun.
The Medical Checks in the UK (taken from the Firearms Application Form) - Not all of these would be an automatic bar. Some conditions in the past or well under control may still allow the grant if medical advice supports it.
BTW GP = General Practitioner ie Family Doctor in US terms. Expand the below quote, you'll find the checks massive!
Medical information
4. You must disclose any relevant physical or mental health conditions that you have been diagnosed with or treated for in the past as this may affect your ability to safely possess and use a firearm or shotgun. Relevant medical conditions which must be disclosed are listed in note 5. Sections 27 and 28 of the Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) specify that in order to issue a firearm or shotgun certificate the chief officer of police must be satisfied that an applicant can be permitted to possess a gun ‘without danger to the public safety or the peace’. Medical fitness is one of the factors police must consider when assessing a person’s suitability. FORM 201 – 2017 - 1 Page13
5. Relevant medical conditions which must be disclosed are:
• Acute Stress Reaction or an acute reaction to the stress caused by a trauma
• Suicidal thoughts or self harm
• Depression or anxiety
• Dementia
• Mania, bipolar disorder or a psychotic illness
• A personality disorder
• A neurological condition: for example, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s or Huntington’s diseases, or epilepsy
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Any other mental or physical condition which might affect your safe possession of a firearm or shotgun If in doubt, consult your GP or contact the police firearms licensing department.
6. If you have disclosed a relevant medical condition the police may ask you to obtain a medical report from your GP/specialist. You are expected to meet the cost if a fee is charged for this. If further information is required the police may request and pay for a further report.
7. Where no relevant medical conditions are disclosed the police will contact your GP asking if they are aware of any relevant medical conditions or have any concerns about the grant of the firearm or shotgun certificate.
Depending on the reply, the police may ask you to obtain a medical report from your GP/specialist. You are expected to meet the cost if a fee is charged for this. If further information is required the police may request and pay for a further report.
8. The police will ask your GP to place an encoded reminder on your patient record to indicate that you have been issued with a firearm or shotgun certificate.
The GP is asked to notify the police if, following issue of the certificate, you are diagnosed with or treated for a relevant medical condition (listed in note 5), or if the GP has other concerns about your possession of a certificate that might affect your safe possession of firearms.
Following contact from your GP there may be a need for a medical report to be obtained to assist with assessment of your continued suitability to possess a firearm or shotgun certificate. The police will pay if a medical report is required.
As you can see your medical records are flagged even after a grant and if concerns are raised at a later date by the GP, then your certificate can be suspended or revoked and your guns seized pending a further medical report.
Additionally, the certificate has to be renewed every 5 years where checks are done again. In between, any incidents of unlawful behaviour eg getting into a fight, violence, domestic violence, drinking offences, drink driving, even speeding (bit excessive that one in my opinion but logic is you're showing a propensity to break the law), etc may lead to revocation.
Also, if a member of the public or employer or neighbour etc reports concerns, these are investigated and again if they involve any of the above, or anything that may raise concerns, it may lead to revocation or refusal.
In the UK it's not uncommon for people involved in divorce proceedings to have certificates supsendedd or revoked whilst the divorce is under way and for a period afterwards to prevent firearms being used as a result of domestic disputes during the divorce.
And even if they did magically remove millions of guns, these murderers would just turn to another method of killing. Car, knife, bomb, gun. They are all just
tools.
Nobody wants mass shootings, but they want to do it in a very ineffectual way.
Let's actually enforce the gun laws we have on the books, first. Looking at you, leaders of Democrat controlled cities.
I agree. If someone is determined enough they will always find a way. I predicted terrorists would run people over in cars if guns were unavailable years before the 1st attack.
The difference in the UK vs US, as you cna see is much more comprehensive checking of suitability (don't forget the above is just medical) there's still the criminal checks, known associations, checks on social media for illegal activities / threats to kill or of violence / suicide / anger and depression etc.
Regarding illegal guns, that's why UK safekeeping is so strict. You would get prosectued and possibly have your certificate revoked if they found a single round of ammunition outside of the gun safe nevermind a gun when the guns were not in use ie being transported to or from a shoot or in use at a shoot. If the gun was simply loaded in transport, you get arrested / revoked. Our laws on safe keeping to prevent criminals getting guns are very strict even down to the types of locks fitted to the doors on your home, the safe specifications (thickness of steel, type of hinges, shielding of the hinges to prevent jemmying, specifiation of the lock and key) etc, the locations (usually hidden) where they can be fixed, what they can be fixed to and how (usually rawl bolted to a brick wall by, from memory at least 5 points), and specifying home security systems.
I know the US is different here as in the US you have a right to use guns in self defence depending on the state. However, a sensible precaution in the US depending on the state would be to require the gun to be secured unless on your person at the time, so no unsecured guns left around. I know you guys have locked holders that can be attached to furniture keeping the gun ready but locked into the holder. That would seem to be sensible if its not on your person or otuside of a central safe.
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