It is very hard to imagine how a law could have prevented this problem. He did legally buy the gun because he did not have a conviction nor was he committed to a mental health facility. That said, we should pass laws requiring background checks for all sales of firearms, we should have a law something like a drivers license that requires a degree of training on legal liability, safety, and practical knowledge of use before anybody buys a gun. It is just the same common sense we apply to drivers and any activity that has significant safety risks to the public. If nothing else it would reduce the ridiculous number of guns floating around in this country by eliminating impulse buying by those who really have little or no interest in hunting, defense or competition.
It is very hard to imagine how a law could have prevented this problem. He did legally buy the gun because he did not have a conviction nor was he committed to a mental health facility. That said, we should pass laws requiring background checks for all sales of firearms, we should have a law something like a drivers license that requires a degree of training on legal liability, safety, and practical knowledge of use before anybody buys a gun. It is just the same common sense we apply to drivers and any activity that has significant safety risks to the public. If nothing else it would reduce the ridiculous number of guns floating around in this country by eliminating impulse buying by those who really have little or no interest in hunting, defense or competition.