There is no letup in the incidents of gun violence in America which could be attributed to the easy availability of firearms. The latest addition to the list is from Texas where a gunman shot dead at least 26 persons in a church in Sutherland Springs, and left at least 30 injured. It is a small, close-knit community with a population of hardly 400, and the dead included kids as well as people in their 70s.
The killer, identified as a former US Air Force member in his late 20s, was dressed in black tactical gear and wearing a ballistic vest. It seems he had, recently, showed off an AR-15-style rifle on social media.
He could not be captured alive, and the police are trying to establish his motive. CBS has reported that the suspect had been discharged from service after being court-martialed.
Reactions to the shooting
Express UK reports that Sutherland Springs is a small community located some 30 miles south-east of San Antonio, Texas. The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has confirmed the casualty figures in the gun violence and described the tragedy in the church as the largest mass shooting in the history of Texas. There are possibilities that the death toll could rise because many of the injured have been hospitalized.
President Donald Trump, now on the Asian tour, has compared the violence to an evil act.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent his condolences to President Trump on the tragedy. Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May has also expressed her condolences via tweet.
Former President Barack Obama has also tweeted his thoughts. He has raised a very pertinent issue regarding measures that the authorities have in mind to arrest the growing trend of violence and weaponry that is evident in our lives.
There is no respite from mindless shootings
The mass shooting in the church in Texas had come one month after a gun fanatic had murdered 59 people when he opened fire from a hotel room in Las Vegas on fans of country music fans who had come to celebrate Route 91 Harvest music festival.
These incidents do not have links to any terrorist activities and are believed to have been carried out by individuals.
Their motives are usually shrouded in mystery and could be traced to instability in their private lives. It is not feasible to monitor anybody’s private lives but, it is certainly possible to ensure that firearms do not fall into the wrong hands. That could be one method to reduce the incidents of gun violence.
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting of 2012 is an example of the extent of violence that can result from the easy availability of firearms in the United States.
