3-Year-Old South Carolina Boy Killed While Playing With Gun

On February 1, 2013, a 3-year-old boy is accidentally shot in the head and dies while playing with a handgun with his 7-year-old sister in their home in Greenville, South Carolina.

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13-Year-Old Michigan Girl Killed By Her 14-Year-Old Brother

On February 2, 2013, a 14-year-old boy accidentally shoots and kills his sister with the family shotgun in Ovid Township, Michigan.

The weapon is legally owned.

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Alabama Gun Owner Kills School Bus Driver, Kidnaps Child

On January 29, 2013, a 65-year-old man kidnaps a 5-year-old boy after fatally shooting a school bus driver in Midland City, Alabama.

On February 4, 2013, authorities storm the killer’s bunker, free the boy and shoot the killer to death after a week of fruitless negotiations.

The killer had beaten a neighbor’s dog to death with a pipe, and patrolled his property with a gun, ready to “shoot trespassers.” Despite all this, he was licensed to own a weapon.

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"American Sniper” Author and Another Are Shot Dead at Texas Gun Range

On February 2, 2013, a 25-year-old military veteran allegedly kills two veterans at a gun range in Glen Rose, Texas. Both victims were armed and one of them was the former Navy SEAL who wrote the autobiography “American Sniper,” which recounts his record number of kills while serving.

The suspected murderer appears to have been mentally ill, and had threatened suicide. Despite this, he was licensed to own a weapon.

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Phoenix Man Shoots Three Before Killing Self

On January 30, 2013, a 70-year-old man kills one and injures two others over a lawsuit, in an office building in Phoenix, Arizona.

On January 31, he is found dead, apparently from a self-inflicted wound.

He appears to have been licensed to own a weapon.

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Newton Residents Call For Gun Control At Town Hearing

On January 30, 2013, during a six-hour hearing inside Newton High School, parents, top local officials, and law enforcement officers made an impassioned call for stricter gun-control measures following the massacre of 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary school on December 14. 

The guns used in the Newton, Connecticut massacre were legally purchased.

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Gabrielle Giffords Speaks At Senate Gun Hearing

On January 30, 2013, former Representative, Gabrielle Giffords, who was seriously wounded in a mass shooting two years ago, urged senators to "be bold, be courageous" in addressing gun violence during the year's first congressional committee hearing on gun violence.

The gun that injured Ms. Giffords was legally purchased.

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Michigan Third Grade Boy Brings Loaded Gun to School

On January 25, 2013, a third grade boy brings a loaded gun to school in Inkster, Michigan.

Teachers safely removed the weapon from the child’s possession. No one is harmed.

The gun is legally owned by a relative of the boy.

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Tennessee Teen Accidentally Kills Self with Family Gun

On January 24, 2013, a 15-year-old boy accidentally shoots and kills himself with the family handgun in Sweetwater, Tennessee.

The weapon was legally owned.

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Minnesota Man Shoots Self with His Own Concealed Weapon

On January 27, 2013, a man accidentally shoots himself with his own gun in a grocery store in Plymouth, Minnesota.

The man has a concealed carry permit.

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Florida Teen Accidentally Shot While Playing Basketball

On January 21, 2013, a 17-year-old boy accidentally shoots a 16-year-old boy on a public basketball court in Orlando, Florida. The victim is stable but could be paralyzed from the stomach down.

The weapon seems have been legally purchased.

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4-Year-Old Missouri Girl Killed By 6-Year-Old Boy

In January, 2013, a preschool girl was shot in the head by a 6-year-old boy in Kansas City, Missouri.

The child died seven days after the accidental shooting. The gun belonged to a relative of the boy.

The weapon seems to have been legally purchased.

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Lone Star College Shooting

On January 22, 2013, a gunfight injures four people at Lone Star College near Houston, Texas.

Investigators say a fight between two people erupted in gunfire. Four people were hospitalized, including the two who authorities believe were involved in the gunfight, a maintenance worker caught in the crossfire, and a fourth person who wasn't shot but was taken to a hospital for a medical condition.

Authorities have yet to reveal if the weapons were legally owned.

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14-Year-Old Georgia Boy Kills His 15-Year-Old Brother on Gun Appreciation Day

On January 19, 2013, a boy accidentally shoots and kills his brother with their mother’s gun in Henry County, Georgia.

The pistol seems to have been legally obtained.

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15-Year-Old New Mexico Boy Kills His Parents and Three Siblings, Ages 9, 5 and 2, on Gun Appreciation Day

On January 19, 2013, five people are murdered by their teenage son and brother, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Each victim suffered more than one gunshot wound, and several guns were found at the home, one of which was a semi-automatic military-style rifle. Investigators are trying to determine who owned the guns.

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Gun Enthusiasts Accidentally Shoot Five People at Three Gun Shows on Gun Appreciation Day

On January 19, 2013, “Gun Appreciation Day,” five people are accidentally shot at gun shows in North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio.

The weapons were all legally obtained.

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School Security Guard Leaves Gun in Bathroom

On January 14, 2013, a newly hired security guard at The Chatfield School in Lapeer, Michigan left a gun unattended in a school restroom.

The security guard, a former policeman, had been hired in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, to increase safety at The Chatfield School.

In response to the Newton tragedy, the NRA called for armed guards in every school as opposed to stricter gun regulations.

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Minnesota Pastor Accidentally Shoots His Granddaughter

On December 10, 2012, a pastor shoots his teenage granddaughter in Rochester, Minnesota.

He fired on her when he believed someone was breaking into his house.

The 16-year-old sustained a gunshot wound to the left side of her neck, which damaged the carotid artery on the left side, according to the criminal complaint. The bullet struck two vertebrae in her neck causing them to fracture. The bullet traveled downward and struck a rib, fracturing it and causing injury to the upper lobe of her right lung. The 16-year-old had surgery and that her condition was improving.

The weapon seems to have been legally purchased.

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The NRA's Violent New Video Game

After decrying the video game industry as the cause for gun violence in America, the NRA's new video game was deemed no longer fit for 4-year-olds, and a warning about "intense" and "realistic" violence was added.

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Virginia Boy, Age 4, Kills His Great-Uncle

On January 13, 2013, a 4-year-old shoots and kills his great uncle in Richmond, Virginia.

The weapon seems to have been legally purchased.

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Florida Teen Dies After Accidentally Shooting Self in Head

On January 9, 2013, an 18-year-old died when he put a gun to his head to show friends and family how safe it was, and the weapon fired, killing him, in St. Petersburg, Florida.

It’s possible that the victim had bought the gun for self-protection.

The weapon seems to have been legally purchased.

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12-Year-Old Missouri Boy Accidentally Kills Self

On January 11, 2013, a 12-year-old boy accidentally shoots and kills himself with a handgun in Breckenridge, Missouri.

The child grew up learning to hunt, and had a hunter’s safety certificate.

The weapon seems to have been legally purchased.

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2-Year-Old Tennessee Boy Kills Himself With His Grandfather’s Gun

On December 20, 2012, a two-year-old boy accidentally shoots and kills himself with his grandfather’s semi-automatic pistol, in Harrison, Tennessee.

The weapon seems to have been legally purchased.

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12-Year-Old Alabama Boy Kills His 12-Year-Old Cousin

On January 8, 2013, a 12-year-old boy accidentally shoots and kills his cousin with the shotgun he received for Christmas, in Pleasant Valley, Alabama.

The weapon was legally purchased.

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4-Year-Old Minnesota Boy Accidentally Kills His 2-Year-Old Brother

On December 5, 2012, a 4-year-old boy shoots and kills his toddler brother with their father’s handgun in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It appears the weapon was legally purchased.

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8-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Killed By His Father in South Carolina

On December 30, 2012, a man accidentally shoots and kills his son while cleaning his rifle in Bennettsville, South Carolina.

It appears the weapon was legally purchased.

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2-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shoots Himself on Christmas Day in South Carolina

On December 25, 2012, a toddler accidentally shoots and kills himself in Conway, South Carolina.

The father had just legally purchased the gun to protect his home and family.

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17-Year-Old Boy Accidentally Shot and Killed By His Younger Brother in Vermont

On December 28, 2012, a boy accidentally shoots and kills his older brother while cleaning a loaded shotgun in Johnson, Vermont.

It appears the weapon was legally purchased.

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Alaskan Mother of Three Accidentally Kills Herself

On December 30, 2012, a 31-year-old woman accidentally shot herself with her rifle while camping and kayaking in Samsing Cove, Alaska.

The weapon was legally purchased.

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Debunking the Gun Nuts Who Run the NRA

1) "Violent movies and videogames are to blame!"

Europe and Japan have violent movies and videogames; but nowhere near the shootings that we have. What they don’t have is semiautomatic weapons in the hands of their citizens.


2) "But... the Second Amendment!"

The second amendment says this:
"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"

If the founding fathers wanted no limits on guns, why did they include "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state" in the amendment?

They could have simply had the amendment state: "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

But they didn't. Because the purpose of citizens bearing muskets was to form a well regulated militia to act as security for the state because we (wisely) had no standing armies at the time.
That's no longer the case.

Furthermore, the founding fathers never envisioned automatic and semiautomatic weapons. They shouldn't be available for private ownership any more than Tomahawk missiles should.


3) "But I need my guns to overthrow the tyrannical federal government!"

This excuse doesn’t make any sense.
If the purpose of gun ownership is to outshoot the US government, I'm afraid you're going to need fighter jets, stealth bombers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear submarines.


4) "I'll never be safe without my guns!"

Studies prove that gun owners, and their loved ones, are more likely to be shot by their guns than are criminals. Just ask gun owner, Nancy Lanza.


5) "Liberals are always trying to take away our guns!"

“Liberals” like gun control advocates Ronald Reagan and Rupert Murdoch?
"I support the Brady Bill, and I urge the Congress to enact it without further delay." -Ronald Reagan
"When will politicians find courage to ban automatic weapons?" -Rupert Murdoch
Or maybe “liberals” like Jesus Christ, who said: "Put your sword back in its place! Everyone who uses a sword will be killed by a sword."


6) "Guns don't kill people. People kill people!"

Tell that to all the people who accidentally shoot themselves and their loved ones. Tell that to children who find a gun in their house and accidentally kill themselves or their playmates.
 
                     
7) "School shootings happen because God has been taken out of our schools!"

The supposed erosion of "American" values has nothing to do with increased gun violence.
Otherwise all the “godless, socialist, un-American” countries around the world would have more shootings than we have. But they don't.
What's really happened is the rise of the NRA as a political power. The result is more guns, and more semiautomatic guns, are out there than ever before.

Also, our politicians have been systematically cutting the social safety net that would have helped the mentally ill.

In short, too many guns, and less assistance for mental illness. The tragic result should come as no surprise.


8) "It won't make a difference if we take guns away! Evil will still find a way!"

Gun owners commit suicide at a higher rate than do normal people. Why is this if guns don't matter and people will find a way no matter what?


9) "If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns!"

Um, not only outlaws. Law enforcement will have guns too.
This excuse is like saying, "If we outlaw murder, only outlaws will be murderers!"
…So?


10) "We need armed guards at every school in America!"
 
Columbine had armed guards present when the massacre happened.
There were plenty of armed men at Fort Hood when that shooting happened.
Viginia Tech has a campus police force.


11) "The NRA is unstoppable! It's hopeless to oppose them!"

If we want it bad enough, it will happen.
A semiautomatic weapon ban is achievable.
The number of American households that own guns has declined, from less than 50% in 1973 to just over 32% in 2010.

If the NRA was so damned powerful, how did Obama get re-elected? How did all those Congressmen the NRA were backing in 2012 end up losing?

Look, the NRA is just a lobbying group for gun manufacturers who would make less profit if semiautomatic weapons were banned.

Karl Rove, the Koch Brothers and the Super PACs got beat.
The NRA can be beat.

If 20 dead children isn’t enough to make it happen, then what the hell is?
  
  

Outraged? Take Action Now!

If it was illegal to own semiautomatic weapons, the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School wouldn't have happened.

The killer's mother wouldn't have had them in the house for the killer to access.

This woman (who may have believed guns would make her safe) was killed with her own weapon.

A semiautomatic weapon ban would have also prevented:

• the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting
• the Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting
• the Oregon mall shooting
• the Columbine massacre
• the Virginia Tech massacre
• the Tuscon, AZ shooting that included Gabrielle Giffords
• and many, many others

All these crimes were carried out with legally owned semiautomatic weapons.

It's not hard to see how to stop this.

Please sign the petition.
 

New Hampshire Teen Accidentally Kills Himself with Gun

On December 16, 2012, a 19-year-old accidentally shot himself in the head in Manchester, New Hampshire.

The firearm is missing. The identity of the gun’s owner has not been reported.

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Indiana Boy, Age 5, Shot By His Brother in Bathtub

On December 6, 2012, a 7-year-old boy shoots his 5-year-old brother during a bath, in South Bend, Indiana.

The boy will live.

The gun was legally purchased.

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Oklahoma Boy, Age 3, Shoots and Kills Himself

On December 15, 2012, a toddler shoots and kills himself with the personal firearm of his uncle, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper, in Guthrie, OK.

The boy was visiting his uncle’s home and found the loaded gun in the bedroom.

The weapon was legally obtained.

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Gun Owner Accidentally Kills Himself at Gun Range in South Carolina

On November 29, 2012, a gun owner kills himself with his semiautomatic pistol at a firing range in West Columbia, South Carolina.

The semiautomatic handgun was legally obtained.

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Connecticut Elementary School Shooting

On December 14, 2012, a man kills 26, including 20 young children, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut, and then kills himself.

Before the school massacre, he had killed his mother with her own weapon (which she may have purchased for "protection").

The semiautomatic weapons used to carry out the attack were legally obtained by the killer’s mother.

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Philadelphia Boy, Age 7, Unlocks Safe, Assembles Gun, and Shoots His 8-Year-Old Sister

On December 6, 2012, a boy shoots his sister after finding the key to his grandfather’s lock box and assembling a dismantled firearm, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The young girl is in stable condition.

The grandfather had legally obtained the weapon.

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Oregon Mall Shooting

On December 11, 2012, a gunman kills two people and severely injures another before killing himself at a mall near Portland, Oregon. 

The AR-15 assault rifle used to carry out the attack was stolen from a friend of the killer, who had legally obtained it.

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Pennsylvania Boy, Age 7, Accidentally Shot to Death by His Father Outside Gun Store

On December 8, 2012, a father accidentally kills his seven year old son in Mercer, Pennsylvania.

The handgun was legally obtained.

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