2008 Woodie Awards
Gun laws questioned after VTech massacre
by Sarah Kenney
Issue date: 4/24/07 Section: News
As students return to classes in the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings on April 16, many states are re-evaluating their gun control laws.
Gunman Cho Seung-Hui used two guns in the attack - a Walther .22 caliber handgun he purchased online in February and a Glock 9 millimeter pistol he purchased at a Virginia gun shop in March. To purchase the Glock, Cho showed his driver's license, a checkbook and his green card, which are adequate forms of identification under Virginia law. He passed the required federal background check.
He was 23 years old - two years above the minimum age to buy a handgun in Virginia.
According to CNN reports, the store owner said he was shocked the crime had been committed with a gun purchased at his store, but had no reason at the time to deny the sale.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the largest gun control grassroots organization in the United States, contends that the purchase was illegal. According to the Brady Campaign Web site, a judge's 2005 assertion that Cho "presented an imminent danger to himself as a result of mental illness," should have shown up on his federal background check and prevented him from buying a gun.
State officials disagree. According to reports by The Washington Post, suspicious information would have shown up on his background check only if Cho had been involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. Cho received outpatient treatment.
The Brady Campaign grades states on the strength of their gun control laws. The organization gave Virginia a C- in 2005 and gave Delaware a C the same year.
According to the Brady Campaign report cards the gun control laws in Delaware are similar to those in Virginia. A license is not needed to buy a gun and the purchase of assault weapons and magazines are not limited. Guns do not have to be registered with law enforcement, so police officers in both states have no idea how many residents own guns or where they are located.
Gunman Cho Seung-Hui used two guns in the attack - a Walther .22 caliber handgun he purchased online in February and a Glock 9 millimeter pistol he purchased at a Virginia gun shop in March. To purchase the Glock, Cho showed his driver's license, a checkbook and his green card, which are adequate forms of identification under Virginia law. He passed the required federal background check.
He was 23 years old - two years above the minimum age to buy a handgun in Virginia.
According to CNN reports, the store owner said he was shocked the crime had been committed with a gun purchased at his store, but had no reason at the time to deny the sale.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the largest gun control grassroots organization in the United States, contends that the purchase was illegal. According to the Brady Campaign Web site, a judge's 2005 assertion that Cho "presented an imminent danger to himself as a result of mental illness," should have shown up on his federal background check and prevented him from buying a gun.
State officials disagree. According to reports by The Washington Post, suspicious information would have shown up on his background check only if Cho had been involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital. Cho received outpatient treatment.
The Brady Campaign grades states on the strength of their gun control laws. The organization gave Virginia a C- in 2005 and gave Delaware a C the same year.
According to the Brady Campaign report cards the gun control laws in Delaware are similar to those in Virginia. A license is not needed to buy a gun and the purchase of assault weapons and magazines are not limited. Guns do not have to be registered with law enforcement, so police officers in both states have no idea how many residents own guns or where they are located.
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Kailyn
posted 4/26/07 @ 4:35 PM EST
This is unfortunate but could've been prevented.
Everyone around him could see that he was very unhappy.
Sure, they sent him to the school psychiatrist, but did they really help him?
What was his childhood like?
Was he tramatized or just born mentally ill?
We know nothing about him, so we can therefore not call him evil but we can call him psychotic. (Continued…)
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