On Friday, a New Jersey shooting was another event in the rash of recent gun violence in our country. According to the New York Times, an employee of a Pathmark supermarket in Old Bridge, N.J. opened fire against his co-workers, killing two before fatally shooting himself. The shooter is reported to be 23-year-old Terence Tyler, who was discharged from the Marines in 2010. He was wearing military clothing and carried a handgun and a AK-47 assault rifle.
No details were reported as to why Mr. Tyler launched this fatal ambush on his co-workers. He had clocked out from his shift at 3:30 a.m. that same morning, only to return half an hour later when he opened fire in the store. Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan did not believe anyone in the store was specifically targeted.
This New Jersey shooting follows the recent horrific tragedy in Colorado on July 20, when James Holmes gunned down dozens in a movie theater showing The Dark Knight Rises, killing twelve and injuring about fifty-nine people. In the past week alone, there have been at least 82 casualties (either wounded or killed) in Chicago gun violence. In Baltimore, Md., a fifteen-year-old boy shot a fellow student on the first day of school and is now being charged with first-degree attempted murder. And the list of recent gun horrors continues.
Even in the face of these tragic shootings, there is tremendous public resistance to gun regulations. Many people feel that more laws and regulations will not matter to criminals, who will get guns and break the law anyway. Obviously, many Americans feel threatened for their own safety in the midst of these horrific events and do not want to be restricted in possessing a gun in the name of protecting themselves. But one thing is clear—the current system is not working and something has to be done. There are many options—communities policing themselves more, outlawing assault weapons, having more stringent background checks, making sure the mentally ill get the proper help, being less hostile towards each other, but no one thing will work on its own.
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Comments: 4
Well Yes guns are dangerous, I cannot imagine what would ever make you want to commit this type of act. Killing someone is wrong. That really is not the firearms fault. Times are tough. This individual had some hard times it sounds for him. Yes its horrible that these things happen. Gun laws don't matter to criminals. That’s exactly what makes them criminals. They don't follow rules or laws.
There has been reports in the past that there are more deaths by motorcycles than firearms. So does this mean that motorcycles should be banned or outlawed. Just because someone feels so strongly against something that other people may enjoy and NOT misuse it’s not right to remove that privilege.
It’s the wrong focus. The biggest issue is our economy! Companies are suffering. Laying off Employees , and it goes on and on right down the line.
I think if people focused on being a little nicer to each other. Firearms have been part of American history for a long time. It’s part of our culture. Many are still manufactured here and it’s a billion dollar industry all here in the USA. With Americans holding jobs there.
One thing you mention is there were at least 82 gun deaths in Chicago. They have some of the countries harshest firearms laws. You have to go through so much red tape to legally own a gun of any kind. Also Assault weapons are banned and not legal within Cook County. Yet it’s the highest statistic you reference. This should prove gun control laws only roadblock law abiding citizens.
I personally shoot targets with my wife it’s a hobby that we enjoy together. I do not hunt. I like animals and I would feel horrible if I did kill anything.