People attend a candle light vigil to mourn the victims of a mass shooting in Las Vegas, the United States, on Oct. 2, 2017. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
by Matthew Rusling
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Sunday saw the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history in Las Vegas, one of the most secure cities in America, which killed nearly 60 people and wounded more than 500.
But the question remains why, in recent years, so many mass shootings are occurring in the United States. While lax gun laws play a role, a number of other factors also contribute, experts said.
At least 59 people were killed on Sunday, according to the latest count on Monday afternoon, when a gunman opened fire on a crowd of people at a country music concert in a high rise hotel in Las Vegas.
The shooter, identified as Stephen Paddock, opened fire at the country music concert from Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino hotel before killing himself in his room where Police found 18 additional firearms and explosives, according to local authorities and news reports.
The tragedy again provoked heated debate on gun control in America, like what happened after previous shootings.
In reply to a question whether the government will impose stricter gun control policy in the future, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday, "I think that there will be, certainly, time for that policy discussion to take place, but that's not the place that we're in at this moment."
DEADLIEST SHOOTING
Sunday's death toll has surpassed that of the last major U.S. shooting, which occurred last year when 49 people were killed by a gunman who was inspired by the Islamic State group.
Mass shootings have become more and more common in the United States, especially in the last decade, when the three deadliest shootings in U.S. history took place.
In 2007, a student at Virginia Tech killed 32 people; in 2012 a deranged gunman entered the Sandy Hook elementary school and murdered 28 people, including many children; last year a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Now, the Vegas shooting has dwarfed all three of these incidents in terms of the death toll.
There are various opinions on why so many mass killings have taken place in recent years. Those range from lax firearms laws to the breakdown of families to less participation in mosques, churches, temples and synagogues. Experts also name stresses caused by an increasingly widening the wealth gap and increasing difficulties making ends meet, as well as the closure of many of the nation's mental institutions.
"Our society's access to guns and high-capacity, high-power weaponry is one issue, but also our failings in mental healthcare, the background check process, and a growing copycat factor have to also be considered," Dan Mahaffee, senior vice president and director of policy at the Center for the Study of Congress and the Presidency, told Xinhua.
Darrell West, a senior fellow at U.S. leading think tank the Brookings Institution, said "it is easy to get guns in the United States, so whenever someone is angry or crazy, they use firearms to express their discontent. Guns allow them to strike out at whoever is making them angry."
Some killers are also seeking media exposure, in a bizarre attempt to tell the world they believe society has wronged them, some experts said.
"Massacres attract media attention, which gives the deranged individual a few moments of fame," West said.
LAX GUN CONTROL
There has in recent years been an ongoing argument over imposing stricter background checks for those who wish to purchase firearms.
Proponents say it makes sense, but opponents say such restrictions undermine people's right to bear arms as is guaranteed by the Constitution and fear too much government involvement in the private lives of citizens.
Critics of current gun laws say it is far too easy for a mentally deranged person to get his hands on firearms.
"For the government, there needs to be some dialogue about a more stringent and thorough background check process," Mahaffee said.
Experts said if mass shootings continue as they have for the last few years, authorities need more training in how to deal with attacks that result in mass casualties.
"If this is the new normal, police and first responders must continue to prepare how to respond to these active shooter incidents," Mahaffee said.
Communities must also play a role, he said.
"We also need to understand how to see the warning signs in our community where we see people who are stockpiling weapons, showing signs of mental illness, and other warning signs leading to these shootings," Mahaffee added.
Still, Las Vegas is known throughout the United States to be one of the safest, most secure cities in the country.
"That said, Las Vegas is one of the most secure, surveilled places in America, and (the shooter) was still able to bring these weapons into the hotel," Mahaffee said.
West said, "There are no easy solutions to this problem. Having background checks could help keep automatic rifles out of the hands of the mentally unstable," West said.
In many cases, military weaponry is easily available to U.S. citizens. Some people have called for a ban not on all firearms, but rather on the type of weapons, ammunition and clips that are used on battlefields.
"Forbidding the sale of military-style assault weapons (would) keep the number of fatalities much lower than generally is the case today," West said.
"Being able to fire off 100 shots in a short period of time enables these individuals to inflict tremendous damage before they are captured or shot by police," he added.
