Virginia Tech Killer Used Easy-To-Get Guns

(CBS)  A well-placed law enforcement source tells CBS News the weapons used in the massacre were a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and .22-caliber pistol.

Both are readily available in gun shops across the United States and particularly accessible in the commonwealth of Virginia, which recently earned a C-minus rating by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

"It's much too easy to get guns in the state of Virginia," said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Center.

That's in part because there's no gun registration, no mandatory waiting period to purchase weapons. The only major restriction: a limit of one gun purchase per month.

It remains unclear where the shooter purchased his pistols, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.

But CBS News discovered there was a gun show just 25 miles from Blacksburg last weekend where 405 guns were sold.

The magazine containing ammunition for the 9 mm handgun can carry between eight and 24 bullets, rapidly fired, and quickly reloaded.

Today the National Rifle Association "expressed its deepest condolences" to all those "affected by this horrible tragedy."

Meanwhile, a former campus police chief at Virginia Tech told CBS News that in recent years the school had bucked the state legislature and hunting culture and took steps to safeguard its student population. It required all guns be checked with campus police, collecting hundreds at a time.

Ironically, the school specifically banned the possession of firearms in dormitories or classrooms — the exact locations of today's unthinkable violence.

[cgene1]

Wonder how many of these poor students who were terified that terrible day at VT are they going to jail for praying in school?

[mcmustang2]

Ban all guns! (Good luck.)

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

[mcmustang2]

The US gun laws are anything but lax. Lying on a firearms application carries a Felony punishment of up to 10 years in jail. Of course, this is not enough incentive to stop criminals (or those planning on becoming criminals.)

[mcmustang2]

Ban all guns! (Good luck.)

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

[mcmustang2]

Ban all guns! (Good luck.)

http://www.nationalreview.com/kopel/kopel120501.shtml

[kindrox]

USABrit,

People killed each other in large numbers long before guns were invented. In fact in the world outside the USA it seems bombs are the tools of mass murder.

I get really agitated when a soft-on-crime attitude is exploited by criminals. Now I read this guy had a history of stalking and setting fires. Why was he not in jail?

We have a choice in the aftermath. We can get rid of the obviously ridicules violence free zones, and allow the law abiding citizens to protect themselves and others with training and concealed carry, or we can pretend that we can pass laws and then go sit on the couch and pretend we are safe.

If we go with more control were we pretend we have accomplished something but nothing good really changes. The criminals will certainly be emboldened. The population will feel more helpless, that the situation in which we live cannot be improved and we don%u2019t have the power to defend ourselves or our family. Canada and Britain are feeling the affect of this now.

This bbc story is chilling. Follow to the discussion forum and read the posts, do you want their quality of life? They are overrun with bold criminals, a system that cannot/willnot deal with them, and they lack tools to defend themselves.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6194122.stm

Canada is also finding the price for gun control/soft on crime is high:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/issuesideas/story.html?id=fb715fde-9cee-42e2-ae75-81061c3cee14

[nothappyatall]

"...no mandatory waiting period"

So? he bought the guns 39 days prior, so even if he had to wait 30 days it wouldnt have made any difference- he PASSED the background check, he provided the required 3 forms of ID AND his green card.

Markell said his store sells about 2,500 guns a year...

According to ATF records, 32 guns involved in crimes between 1999-2003, including 27 handguns, were traced back to purchases from Roanoke Firearms"

Ok, big claim and statement there that infers the gun shop is somehow at fault with a "high" crime rate- do the MATH, 1999-2003 and 2,500 guns a year= 12,500 gun sales, from which 32 guns were sold by the shop that were somehow at some point used in a crime, this is a totally insignificant statistic. It would be important if out of 12,500 sales 2,000 gubs were used in crimes, but 32 isnt even a fraction of a percent.

[berealistic]

The cowards out there whom chose to kill someone is NOT going to be stopped by more gun control. I wonder if VA Tech, Columbine etc would have happened if the shooters thought there was a chance someone would shoot back. If someone wants to kill rampantly or selectively they will find a way to do it. While all 'eyes' are on the Dorm situation the coward went to the school. Yes I said coward & that is how I see those type of criminals. A coward is very devious and his ruse obviously worked. A community in another state passed an ordinance that it was mandatory for there to be a gun in every house. Within a relatively short time the crime rate dropped 80%. Hmmm, I wonder what the deterrant was? Stiffer gun control is just going to create a larger black market which in turn will create more crime, including robberies to get the money to purchase the higher priced guns on the black market. Hasn't the drug scenario taught anyone anything? Waiting period for gun purchase? HE waited 36 days to commit this atrocity!! Law enforcement is so overwhelmed and understaffed they cannot cope with it all. It is time to let the law abiding citizens take a hand and I don't mean vigilantism. Just allow the everyday citizen to be armed with weapon of choice, gun, knife, baseball bat, fireplace poker, whatever suits their style. But allow them a way to protect themselves! *sigh*

[kindrox]

USABrit,

People killed each other in large numbers long before guns were invented. In fact in the world outside the USA it seems bombs are the tools of mass murder.

I get really agitated when a soft-on-crime attitude is exploited by criminals. Now I read this guy had a history of stalking and setting fires. Why was he not in jail?

We have a choice in the aftermath. We can get rid of the obviously ridicules violence free zones, and allow the law abiding citizens to protect themselves and others with training and concealed carry, or we can pretend that we can pass laws and then go sit on the couch and pretend we are safe.

If we go with more control were we pretend we have accomplished something but nothing good really changes. The criminals will certainly be emboldened. The population will feel more helpless, that the situation in which we live cannot be improved and we don%u2019t have the power to defend ourselves or our family. Canada and Britain are feeling the affect of this now.

This bbc story is chilling. Follow to the discussion forum and read the posts, do you want their quality of life? They are overrun with bold criminals, a system that cannot/willnot deal with them, and they lack tools to defend themselves.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6194122.stm

Canada is also finding the price for gun control/soft on crime is high:
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/issuesideas/story.html?id=fb715fde-9cee-42e2-ae75-81061c3cee14

[cgene1]

Wonder how many of these poor students who were terified that terrible day at VT are they going to jail for praying in school?