Stephen Paddock fired from a multi-storied building and killed at least 59 people and wounded hundreds of people. The person had malignant aggression. He possibly dreamt of large slaughters. What we can do is to remove the loopholes in gun sales laws so that Paddock will not have access to guns that can kill so many innocent people.
Las Vegas killer was ruthless
According to Los Angeles Times, a gunman Stephen Paddock fired from the 32nd floor of Mandala Bay Hotel and Casina and killed at least fifty-nine people. There are strong reactions to the tragedy from President Trump, other prominent political leaders, and musician Jason Aldean.
The law enforcement is investigating the motive for the attack.
Why did the Las Vegas shooting occur?
The motives of mass murders can be revenge. The Las Vegas murderer fired at random strangers. Other motives are the need for notice or recognition. In the classic work “The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness," Eric Fromm described extinction fantasies of necrophilous character that are guided by a set of values that glorifies death and demolition. There is an intense desire in people such as Paddock to make a mark on one’s world. They have difficulty relating to others and feel a vicarious superiority towards others. They acquire and love devices of destruction or role models who carry out large-scale slaughters.
Such people are shockingly insensitive about the tragedies that involve a loss of life.
After Las Vegas killings the gun law must be amended
The situation is aggravated because of a loophole in the Federal Brady Law. The law requires a system of Background Checks. If Paddock had been subjected to background checks he would possibly not have been sold his gun.
However, the system of background checks applies only to licensed dealers. If the seller is not a licensed dealer, then he doesn’t need to run a background check. Killers such as Paddock and gun sellers learned to exploit this provision of the law. Some states such as New York and New Jersey have set up strict gun sales laws that set conditions for who may own and use a gun.
These laws require stringent background checks, and difficult to get permits. Such laws chock of the sale of guns to killers such as Paddock. However, all states do not have such regulations and gun peddlers operate in such states and sell to buyers both in states without regulations and to buyers in states where there are strong regulations. The crime of Paddock is hateful and should be condemned but also weak gun sale laws at the Federal level and the state level should also be censured. A strong Gun Control law could have prevented the deaths.
