 US President Donald Trump |
President Trump gave the order to Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday saying that his administration will take resolute steps to deal with gun violence. The same day, the White House said President Trump is considering a bill to make federal agencies strictly enforce the rules that require them to submit criminal convictions to the FBI, which could help stop high-risk individuals from getting guns.
Increasing gun violence
In the past two months, the US has seen 30 mass shootings that have claimed 60 lives, the worst a school shooting in Parkland, Florida last Wednesday which killed 17 people. The shooter was 19-year old Nicolas Cruz, a former student at the school, who had been expelled for disciplinary reasons, and has been described as a “troubled kid” who enjoyed showing off his guns.
In January, a 15-year old student opened fire at his schoolmates at a school in Kentucky, killing two students and injuring 18 others. There have been more than 1,600 mass shootings in the US in the past 5 years. An attack last October in Las Vegas was the bloodiest. 59 people were killed and more than 500 others were injured. An attack at a gay night club in Orlando, Florida, in June 2016 claimed 49 lives.
According to the Guardian newspaper, there have been more than 1,600 mass shootings in the US since 2013, many of them at schools, where most of the perpetrators were students. These statistics have split the US over the issue of gun control, and damaged the prestige of the US which claims that public safety and law and order are its top priorities.
Urgent need for better gun control
According to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University last week, 66% of Americans support stricter gun laws, the highest level of support since 2008 and 20% higher than in 2015.
A list of guns banned by the US Congress in 1994 expired in 2004 and there has been no renewal. The Obama administration had addressed this controversial issue several times but no legislation was passed because of opposition by the Republicans and the National Rifle Association.