at a middle school.

I don't have any further details.

I don't know what to say other than that -

responsible gun owner -- until they weren't. Yes, this unhinged asswipe could have used a knife, a pitchfork, or a shovel, but they chose to use a gun because it was designed specifically for the use they put it to.

Contrary to what our DU Gungeoneers tell us, more guns is NOT the answer. More control over who has access to guns is the answer.

universal background checks for certain. What else?

Melting them down is not going to happen, universal background checks can happen if congress gets off it's duff and passes it.
National safe storage laws with severe penalties for violations that results in injuries or death will greatly help also.

We can learn from a country that has around 2, two, 1+1, less than 3 gun deaths a year. It isn't impossible, just have to get rid of the defeatist.

http://goo.gl/6rNjFF

You really do not want to give US cops the same powers that Japaneses cops have.

And since your link explicitly pointed out that the 2A grants Americans the right to guns, it is clear that any Japanese style solution has major Constitutional issues. Right now it is an explicit right to own a handgun in your home. No law can undo that.

The 2a as you call it, is not my concern. I also happen to believe our constitution is deeply flawed and should be reconsidered. The thing was written in ink, not stone from the mountain top.

it is pretty straight forward - good luck in your endeavor.

however I am guessing you do not belong to a militia nor do you directly support one. So do us a favor and start a militia so that this amendment applies to you. Then come back and join the argument.

isn't that what you want? How else are you planning to eradicate those serious flaws from the Constitution?

I am part of “the people” so the 2A does in fact apply to me.

2a. Please remember that, and with every shooting like this your loud voiced minority is eroded away. Just remember that.

says it is this, I have to accept that? Well let me cherry pick some and get right back to you....

a lot of Hispanic gang bangers are relocating from nearby California due to California's three strike laws aimed at habitual criminals.

unless your are the victim.... of gun crime and in the wrong place at the wrong time... which seems to be everywhere in the Good Ol USA!

it might send a message to some of them

a lot of these shooters want to be "suicided" by cops.

So killing them only fulfills many of these deranged individuals fantasies.

They still do it anyway. Either for suicide-by-cop, or they are so pissed off they don't care.

Unless they're in a SYG state. That allows more shooters, since they don't have to reach that level of despair before deciding to open fire.

Soon as the cops arrive, they die one way or the other in the vast majority of cases.

Gifford's attacker, and the shitbag from the Aurora theater are aberrations.

Killing a 12 year old as a way of sending a message ?

The gun debate will rage on, but clearly there was a serious problem that was missed long before this child picked up a gun. The gun debate is a distraction that will give both sides the opportunity to express the righteousness of their convictions, but in the mean time, kids are getting killed. As a father with two boys in middle school, I don't want to wait for the debate to be resolved, I want a solution now.

and so far we don't know the situation with his home life...

Mental health care providers work with school staff to identify children that may have mental health problems. 60 % of the kids that use guns in schools are motivated by past bullying. 20% of children have a mental illness, and only a fraction of those ever receive treatment.
The bottom line is a number of adults failed to recognize and/ or address the fact that there was a serious problem, and thats on all of us.

And wouldn't that system still need parental approval before treatment? For a teacher, there are a lot of red flags that can be "recognized" in a child, but there isn't always a legal, proper means of addressing them (especially if the parents are uncooperative)...

Until we see more background and detailed information, this problem is solely on that kid's parents...

The critically injured and the dead shooter were all male. So my cousin's middle school daughter is probably also "safe".

If any of them were at this school, I'm not sure how "safe" they feel right now.

but I had a math teacher there that I would not have missed.

I don't think it says in this article, but my guess is Sparks Middle School is a public school.

Actually, it's super curious that status isn't mentioned. Neither the word "public" nor "private" occurs in the article.

It's assumed to be public for that reason, and it is.

What is your point: Is this an excuse to bash public education because private schools are supposed to be so good, which is a myth, by the way?

The next question would be the political beliefs of the shooters. We all know the pubs want private schools publicly funded, Bu*h's faith based initiative, yada yada, and there's clearly a republican desire to defund public schools, that seems well established, so my guess is the shooters are largely republicans.

Anderson was the only year round school I ever attended.
Glad we made the change to Carson City.
Sparks? shudder to think of living there.
ugh.

for the elementary schools and now has a "balanced calendar."

Sparks Middle School is a Title I school, just so you know.