This morning, a mass shooting took place at the Navy Yard in Washington. Details are still coming together, including some initial confusion over how many gunmen were involved, but it seems as though at least 12 were killed and at least three more injured. Reports indicate that the shooter carried a handgun, an AR-15 assault rifle, and a shotgun.
This afternoon, President Obama addressed the shooting, commenting on how the nation is facing yet another mass shooting and promising a full investigation into the shooting. He stated that law enforcement will make sure that “whoever carried out this cowardly act is held responsible.”
Last week, voters in Colorado recalled two politicians who had come out in support of gun control measures. We covered the recall earlier in the year, and as the Atlantic details today, we’ve had at least one consequence from the recall election: “Advocates needed to send a signal that politicians could vote for gun control without fear of ending their careers. Instead, they sent the opposite message. Now risk-averse pols, already all too aware of the culture-war baggage the gun issue has historically carried, will have no incentive to put their political futures in jeopardy by proposing or supporting gun-control legislation.”
This spring, the senate voted against measures that would have taken helped increase gun control, a failure on many counts.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Catholic bishops came out and state firmly and decisively that gun control is a crucial pro-life issue.
Last year, in what seemed at the time like it could be a game-changer, a reason to finally come together and take measures to address gun control issues, a mass shooting took place in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
Today, 12 more have died. Countless more may die yet today by acts of gun violence across our nation, though the stories may not grab our national attention the way the Navy Yard shooting has for today.
When will it finally be enough?
U.S. Catholic recently conducted a Sounding Board Survey on the issue of gun control. The results will appear in our October issue.
Image: Flickr photo cc by Elvert Barnes
