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Roanoke Shooting Tragedy Sparks Fresh Gun Control Debate
On the morning of Wednesday, August 26, the world witnessed what amounted to murder on live TV.
First seen by WDBJ7 morning news viewers in Roanoke, Virginia, the horrific incident made its way around the globe almost instantly; the shooter himself posted a recording on social media.
A disgruntled former employee of the TV station, Vester Lee Flanagan II, fired 17 rounds in a well-planned assault, killing reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27.
The details that followed read as a most heartwrenching tragedy, the likes of which are almost difficult to believe. Young, promising television professionals, both engaged to colleagues with bright futures planned, were gunned down in broad, if early, daylight.
Alison Parker with fiancé WDBJ7 Anchor Chris Hurst in Happier Times
Photo Credit: Chris Hurst Official Facebook Page
But as the families grieve and a horrified TV news fraternity offers solemn tributes, this latest incident of senseless violence has once again stirred fresh debate about gun laws in the United States.
According to gunviolencearchive.org, there have been over 8,000 deaths in the United States caused by gun violence in 2015 alone. Contributing to that number are the 247 mass shootings that occurred this year, Business Insider reports.
US gun violence statistics, 2015. Data validated on August 28, 2015.
Photo Credit: Gun Violence Archive
Despite these alarming statistics, it's common knowledge that acquiring a firearm in the United States is not difficult. It has been near-impossible to push gun control reforms through Congress, even though such regulations have proven effective in other countries.
In 1996–97, Australia severely curbed its gun violence problem with a mandatory buyback program, confiscating 650,000 privately held guns, Vox.com reports. Consequent studies showed a significant decline in both suicides and homicides. Here in Canada, gun ownership is strictly monitored and regulated. Potential owners are required to, among other things, pass both a written and practical exam and register restricted weapons with the RCMP. Historically and consistently, Canada reports fewer gun violence incidents than the United States.
A truck unloads prohibited firearms at a scrap-metal yard in Sydney in 2007.
Photo Credit: www.abc.net.au
While these solutions may not directly apply to the United States, at the very least, state-sanctioned selling of weapons by the police itself could be discouraged.
New Republic reports that often, when illegal guns are confiscated at crime scenes, the police sell those weapons on the open market to raise quick cash for supplies or training. Given the inconsistent background check laws across the United States, those guns could very easily end up in the wrong hands once again.
Along with the arguments surrounding gun control come the debates regarding mental health and provisions for proper care. While all perpetrators of gun-related violence are certainly not mentally disturbed, mental illness is a contributing factor in many incidents. This was seemingly the case in the Roanoke shootings.
Roanoke Gunman Vester Lee Flanagan II, AKA Bryce Williams
Photo Credit: Bryce Williams's Twitter Page
On that point, in this writer’s opinion, it comes down to what can and cannot be regulated. Mental health issues are often difficult to detect and sometimes considered "invisible diseases." It’s impossible to predict who might suddenly become distressed to the point of violence. But it is certainly possible to prevent deadly firearms from easily falling into the hands of people who are unable or unwilling to properly consider the consequences of their actions. And that prevention might have larger ramifications for people intent on doing harm as well.
Share your thoughts and let us know where you stand on this important issue.
Article sources: VOX, The Roanoke Times, Business Insider, New Republic, Takepart.com, WDBJ7, Gun Violence Archive
Main Image Photo Credit: WDBJ7
Dilshad Burman
Author
Dilshad Burman is an award winning TV host and Canadian media personality. Born in Mumbai, India, she was surrounded by its creative energy and grew up with a passion for music, film and television. While completing her Bachelor of Arts in English literature from The University of Mumbai, she i...
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