The Reduction of Mass Shootings
Mass shootings have been occurring so consistently that they are almost becoming normalized. However, the world can not allow this to happen. Even though 2018 began just 4 months ago, there has already been so many mass shootings all around America. Hopefully all of America agrees with me when I say we need a reduction of mass shootings to start taking effect.
Mental illness is something that has been common involving mass shooters. Therefore, mental illness is one of the main causes of massacres. According to Elizabeth Llorente from Fox News, most mass shooters have suffered from a mental illness. For example, Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 people in a Parkland, Florida high school showed many signs of being mentally disturbed. Adam Lanza, who used gun violence to end 26 lives struggled with developmental disorders and stopped taking his psychiatric medication before the shooting. Mental illnesses can fully affect a person by changing who they are. Mental illness disorders can create different perspectives in someone’s mind. Being mentally disturbed can take effect in someone’s actions. For instance, Adam Lanza had psychiatric problems and stopped taking his medication for it. Therefore, the medication that helped him was not in his system anymore and caused his terrible thoughts and actions.
If mental health evaluations were required before any weapon purchases, then the seller would be able to identify who they are selling a weapon to. Weapons can end lives, therefore, they should not be sold to just anyone. A harmless mental health evaluation will help prevent dangerous tragedies from happening.
Along with mental health evaluations, federal background checks should be required before the purchase of a firearm. The background checks should consist of domestic violence, criminal records, and mental health. The federal background checks should be required to be done correctly in order to prevent massacres. Figuring out important information about someone is important because it could prevent a seller from selling a weapon to the wrong hands.
On February 14, 2018, Nikolas Cruz walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and shot and killed 17 people. Unfortunately, the FBI was warned about Cruz a few times before he killed innocent people. According to Bernie Woodall and Zachary Fagenson from Reuters, Cruz’s neighbor called the FBI in concern that Nikolas Cruz was going to “blow up.” Nikolas Cruz also had strange and terrifying photos of weapons on his social media account. Based on this information it should be obvious that Cruz was someone the FBI should have been concerned about. However, the FBI did not respond or act towards the suspicions about Cruz. If they acted upon the suspicions, this could have prevented the shooting in Parkland, Florida from happening. This is why the government should change in the sense that they should be more attentive and avoid postponing any situations or suspicions. There should be a better communication between law enforcement. This will help prevent a mass shooting from happening before-hand.
When a mass shooting is occurring, the person who is in control of the weapon is the one at fault and causing the shooting. However, even though the person is at fault, gun safety is still important to acknowledge. Guns have a purpose and they are not being used for their actual purpose lately. Gun restrictions like regulating semi-automatic weapons due to the fact that they are meant to be for war could be helpful in preventing future massacres. Accessories that make semi-automatic weapons fully automatic should not be allowed in the hands of the public. The reason why certain gun restrictions would be helpful in the process of reducing mass shootings is because the weapons that are typically used in mass shootings are fully automatic weapons. Not allowing the weapons that are normally used for shootings makes sense and could possibly help reduce shootings.
Awareness of your surroundings is always important no matter where you are. Being in a public area like schools, malls, movie theaters, and restaurants, most people look around but do not really see what could possibly happen. It is almost like seeing blurry. You know that you are around people but you never know who is really around you. It is important not to just look at your surroundings, but to observe your surroundings. Being vigilant is a very important thing to do that can possibly save lives.
It is so important for police officers to be vigilant at all times. It is also important for police officers to take action as well. For example, in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, when Nikolas Cruz shot and killed students and staff, the sheriff deputies showed lack of vigilance and action. The deputies basically allowed Nikolas Cruz enter the campus without realizing it. When Cruz started shooting people, the deputies did not go inside of the school at all. There are so many things they could have done to protect and save lives. This lack of vigilance and action costed 17 people their lives. Better police training could help prevent this mistake from happening again with police officers. Therefore, it can help reduce massacres.
Social media becomes the main source when a shooting happens. This leads to people communicating on social media and talking about the shooting and the shooter. Talking about the shooter will give them exposure. Whether it is good or bad exposure, a shooter should not be talked about. Here’s why. Lately, shooters are competing to see who kills the most amount of people. For example, according to Michael Dorstewitz from Newsmax, Nikolas Cruz posted a comment on YouTube stating that he was going to be a professional school shooter. This is a sign that he believed being a shooter is a profession. If social media decides not to focus on the shooter and focuses on just the victims and the situation, this could help discourage the shooters.
Although it may be irritating sometimes, “too much” safety can be very necessary. Nowadays, it is difficult to feel safe anywhere. There are so many possibilities in all public areas. Shootings are the main concern when most people go to public places. As unfortunate as it may seem, metal detectors in most daily public places should be a helpful way to reduce massacres. This way weapons will not be allowed into places preventing massacres from occurring. Including two doors on each side of a room is helpful for emergencies when everyone has to exit a room immediately. This could prevent massacres from happening because weapons will not be allowed in the places in which people want to feel safe.
To compensate, massacres can be prevented and reduced. There are just many different ways and different points of view to do so. Action must happen, and people must unite to help fix this tragic issue.