IT. JUST THIS MONTH, THERE HAVE BEEN 39 MASS SHOOTINGS IN THE U.S., TWO OF THEM IN CALIFORNIA, IN HALF MOON BAY AND MONTEREY PARK. EACH OF THESE HIT ME. LOOK, I’M A RESEARCHER, SCHOLAR, AND SO I’M TRYING TO STUDY THIS FROM AN INTELLECTUAL PERSPECTIVE. BUT IT HURTS THE SOUL AS WELL. DANIEL WEBSTER IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND POLICY AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH. HE’S BEEN STUDYING GUN VIOLENCE FOR 30 YEARS. THESE MASS SHOOTINGS HAVE A RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGH OUR SOCIETY, MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SHOT OR KILLED. IT IT LEAVES US FEARFUL. IT CHANGES OUR LIFESTYLE. AND AGAIN, ROBS US OF FREEDOMS. AND HE SAYS PEOPLE ARE LEFT FEELING HELPLESS, BELIEVING THERE’S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEMS WE FACE. SO WHAT’S THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO STOP MASS SHOOTINGS? WHAT OUR RESEARCH SHOWS IS MOST EFFECTIVE IS REQUIRING INDIVIDUALS WHO PURCHASE FIREARMS TO BE LICENSED. THAT MEANS GO DIRECTLY TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO BE VETTED, FINGERPRINTED, IDEALLY WITH SOME SAFETY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. HE ALSO SAYS WE NEED SOUND POLICIES TO RESTRICT ACCESS TO FIREARMS THAT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO FIRE A LOT OF ROUNDS AT A VERY RAPID SPAN OF TIME. LI
Gun violence prevention experts research mass shootings, how to stop them
Updated: 5:56 PM EST Jan 24, 2023
Gun violence prevention experts are sharing their research into why mass shootings happen and what can be done about them.In January alone, there have been 39 mass shootings in the U.S. — two of them this week in California — in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park — that have left as many as 69 people dead.Daniel Webster is the director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has been studying gun violence for 30 years.”Each of these hit me. I’m a researcher and scholar, so I’m trying to study this from an intellectual perspective, but it hurts the soul as well,” Webster said. “These mass shootings have a ripple effect through much, much bigger than just the number of individuals who are shot or killed. It leaves us fearful it changes our lifestyle and robs us of freedoms in our society.”| CLARIFIED: Can mass shootings be prevented?Webster said people are left feeling helpless, believing there’s nothing that can be done about one of the most important public safety problems the nation faces. So, what’s the most effective way to stop mass shootings?”What our research shows is requiring individuals who purchase firearms to be licensed, that means going directly to law enforcement to be vetted fingerprinted with some safety training requirements,” Webster said.Webster also said sound policies are needed to restrict access to firearms that have the capacity to fire many rounds at a very rapid timespan.
Gun violence prevention experts are sharing their research into why mass shootings happen and what can be done about them.
In January alone, there have been 39 mass shootings in the U.S. — two of them this week in California — in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park — that have left as many as 69 people dead.
Daniel Webster is the director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has been studying gun violence for 30 years.
“Each of these hit me. I’m a researcher and scholar, so I’m trying to study this from an intellectual perspective, but it hurts the soul as well,” Webster said. “These mass shootings have a ripple effect through much, much bigger than just the number of individuals who are shot or killed. It leaves us fearful it changes our lifestyle and robs us of freedoms in our society.”
| CLARIFIED: Can mass shootings be prevented?
Webster said people are left feeling helpless, believing there’s nothing that can be done about one of the most important public safety problems the nation faces. So, what’s the most effective way to stop mass shootings?
“What our research shows is requiring individuals who purchase firearms to be licensed, that means going directly to law enforcement to be vetted fingerprinted with some safety training requirements,” Webster said.
Webster also said sound policies are needed to restrict access to firearms that have the capacity to fire many rounds at a very rapid timespan.
