Hellobee Boards

I was watching the press conference when they said the total number of fatalities was actually 50 (instead of the initial 20 they reported) and I literally gasped out loud. It's scary and disgusting and just so sad. And I don't understand how a man who was a person of interest to the FBI was also a security officer and had a concealed-carry license? And I assume he legally purchased the assault rifle? The gun laws in this country are so beyond fucked up.

I was a student at a nearby college when Virginia tech happened. My mom texted me how many were killed and I honestly thought it was a typo. When Sandy Hook happened I was working in a newsroom and as the first numbers came in, I thought, "no way, that can't be right." Now? I'm devastated and heartbroken, but no longer have the same level of shock and surprise. We are letting things like this happen over and over without taking action. AR-15s do not belong in the hands of the general public. The end.

@lawbee11: I too don't understand how you can be investigated by the FBI multiple times and be able to legally purchase weapons. Total system failure.

Contact your elected representatives. We must demand gun control now.

Here's a link to find their info: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

The company he works for seems like a breeding ground for crazy people with guns. This is an article surrounding deaths associated with the security company a couple years ago. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/22/g4s-convictions-deaths-employees-racial-overtones
There's another article I think in the daily beast about all the allegations of violence sexual assaults against their security officers during work at juvenile detention centers and many convicted of at home abuse.

@kiddosc: It's absolutely disgusting and a moral outrage that nothing was changed after Sandy Hook. I cannot even begin to comprehend how people are seemingly ok with 20 seven year olds being murdered in their school, a place where they should be safe. Doing nothing is saying we are ok that these events happen in exchange for continued access to guns.

I am not looking forward to the possible repercussions that the shooting in Orlando has on the election. Hopefully it doesn't add fuel to Trump's anti-Muslim fire. To me it's obvious that his rhetoric just inflames the situation and the shooter was an American citizen in this case anyway.

@Madison43: Sorry, I made it political. I am so sad about this too and thinking of all the people impacted.

I don't know what to do/say, or who to blame!
My focus is the victims and their families!
This was way to close for comfort!
Shooting 2hrs away and at a place my BIL frequents a lot,
Shooter from my town, streets away... many grew up with him
It's horrible, horrendous, and like all these attacks senseless!

What is of interest to me is when the tide will actually change...will we ever get to a point in the US where there are more people who are pro gun control, where the NRA has no pull? I don't really know.

@MrsSCB: I read somewhere yesterday that it seemed like they were letting gay men donate in spite of the federal guidelines.

This is so awful, there are no words. There's a lot going on in this case - Islamic extremism, guns, mental illness, homophobia. In that equation, it seems pretty clear to me we can only really control guns - so why don't we?!?!?!?! It's incomprehensible and I just want to curl into a ball and cry.

@MrsSCB: Yup, because Trump will continue to focus on the fact that the guy was Muslim and screamed ISIS into the phone rather than the fact that he had legally purchased assault weapons, was a person for interest to law enforcement for years and still got guns, and was known to be a racist homophobe. I'm so sad for America.