Isla Vista Massacre Proves That Strict Gun Control Laws Are Failures

California’s strict gun laws proved to be no impediment to Elliot Roger, who had legally purchased three handguns, multiple low-capacity magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition legally in advance of his horrific attacks in Isla Vista, California Friday night that left six dead and 13 wounded.

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Thirteen people were injured — eight from gunshot wounds, four from being hit by his car and one who suffered a minor injury whose exact cause was not clear yet, Brown said.

Brown added that Rodger had three semi automatic handguns–a Glock 34 and two Sig Sauer P226s– as well as more than 400 rounds of ammo when he died.

The suspected shooter purchased all his firearms legally. They were registered to him.

Clearly, California’s strict gun laws were no impediment for Roger.

He passed all background checks mandated by the state, and registered his handguns. He used only the state-mandated ten-round magazines in his pistols. I’m sure we’ll find that his ammunition was purchased in compliance with state regulations as well.

Predictably, the media is choosing to exploit the grief of the father of the final victim of Roger’s massacre, Chris Martinez.

“Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA,” Martinez told reporters outside the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, appearing on the verge of collapse. “They talk about gun rights, what about Chris’ right to live? When will this insanity stop?”

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While we deeply sympathize with Richard Martinez in his grief, his blame-shifting and scapegoating of the NRA is absurd. Blaming the NRA for the deaths of the three victims that were shot to death makes about as much sense as blaming the National Knife Collectors Association for the stabbing deaths of Roger’s first three victims, or the National Automotive Dealers Association for those four innocent souls injured because Roger’s plowed through crowds with his car.

“When will this insanity stop?” is indeed a valid question, however.

When will Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown stop his de facto ban on issuing concealed carry permits, which ensured that everyone in the path of Elliot Roger was an disarmed victim?

When will Californian’s realize that their gun laws will never stop those twisted souls intent on mass murder, and merely ensure that a madman will face no credible threat of legally armed opposition when he carries out his attack?

None of California’s restrictive gun laws made a difference to Roger’s first three victims, who were stabbed to death. It’s also quite clear that laws passed by craven politicians who claimed they wanted to prevent mass shootings were entirely ineffectual, as gun rights advocates stated that they would be as these laws were being debated.

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But Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown’s personal decision to refuse to issue concealed carry permits… that might have made a difference. Would someone along Roger’s route with a concealed weapon have possibly been able to interrupt his attack, the way concealed carrier Nick Meli interrupted the Jacob Roberts’s intended mass murder at Clackamas Town Center Mall?

Perhaps Richard Martinez’s son would still be alive if a lawful concealed carrier somewhere along the route of Elliot Roger’s murderous rampage to stop or slow him before Chris Martinez became that final victim killed.

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