Several mass shootings in the United States have once again sparked debate about one of the country’s most common – and most popular – weapons. President Biden calls on Congress to act on semi-automatic rifles. – They will never have the opportunity to confiscate our weapons, says former police officer Benny Barrett in Texas. So far in 2023, the United States has suffered a total of 164 mass shootings in which at least four or more people have been killed. The statistics from the organization Gun Violence Archive show that gun violence in the United States is on its way to new, high levels. In the past few weeks alone, several states have been rocked by mass shootings. In Louisville, Kentucky, two occurred in early April. The gunman who opened fire on a bank on April 10, killing five people, used an AR-15 he had purchased legally, police said. Semi-automatic weapons were also used in a mass shooting at a school in Tennessee in late March, as well as in the high-profile school shooting in Uvalde, Texas last year in which 21 people – 19 of whom were students – were killed. Called the “national weapon of the United States” The weapon has long been seen as one of the most popular in the United States, and earlier this year, Republican Barry Moore presented a proposal in the House of Representatives that the AR-15 should officially be called the “national weapon of the United States.” Exactly how many Americans own an AR-15 is unclear, but according to statistics compiled by researchers at Georgetown University, in 2021, 24.6 million Americans may own AR-15-type weapons. – It is the most common weapon out there. I see them here all the time, almost everybody that comes through the door here has an AR-15,” said Dallas gun dealer Bob Gross. In a survey of 400 owners that the Washington Post/Ipsos published at the end of March, most stated that they mainly own the weapon for self-defense purposes. Biden wants a ban While the weapon is popular among many Americans, it is also controversial. President Biden and other leading Democrats have once again called on Congress to act to tighten gun laws. Biden has stated several times that he wants to see a ban on semi and fully automatic weapons. – The fact that we still allow it to be possible to buy semi-automatic weapons is sick. Simply sick, the president has said before. However, Benny Barrett believes that Democrats are wrong when they claim that guns and the legislation that regulates purchases are the cause. That several of the perpetrators in mass shootings have chosen an AR-15, do you see that as a problem? – No, I do not. The problem as I see it is the individuals who carry out the shootings. I have several guns at home and they haven’t killed anyone. But the criminals who commit these crimes, that’s the culture that we need to address. Do all Americans need the capabilities of this weapon? – Not necessarily, but it can be good to have. If you have three burglars breaking into your house in the middle of the night, I want as much ammunition as I can get my hands on, says Benny Barrett. The former police officer snorts at all proposals for stricter gun legislation and does not see how it would be possible to introduce a ban. – I will defend my family and my property in the best way with what I have. The constitution allows me to bear arms and I will do so with the weapon I choose and need, he says.
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