In some states this man could legally enter a theatre armed as he was...sad...so  very sad.

So is it common sense to assume that if it had been illegal for him to enter the theater armed as he was that he would have been dissuaded from committing multiple murders?

I'm amazed people think like you do,  As if a gun law would have stopped this guy. What's next to ban? Video games? Do you also want body scanners or armed security at the movies? How about the supermarket?

We know nothing about the guy's motives or mental health, and yet you are so quick to jump on the gun control bandwagon.

I'd rather focus on the unfolding developments and the tragedy and loss of life today. Politics can wait until at least the dead are identified, if not buried.

Laws should be changed to make it mandatory for owners to provide semi-automatic rifles to every man, woman and child entering any and all public events or establishments so that they can protect themselves in cases like this. :-(

You know, tough talk is cheap. The cold reality, though is that far too many people who own guns have neither the proper training nor the personal temprament to use them either responsibly or properly.

And because that's so, it's hardly surprising that according to the Centers for Disease Control (which compiles and tracks such statistics), those persons who live in households where guns are present are far, far more likely to become a victim of gun violence at the hands of a family member or personal acquaintance, than to be confronted and shot at random in a public place by a complete stranger.

I'm a supporter of the Second Amendment, but honestly, the single most irresponsible thing the NRA has done has been to promote the illusion that there are gun-toting thugs hiding behind every building corner and hedge, and then bully and bludgeon state legislatures into passing socially demented laws like "Conceal / Carry" and "Stand Your Ground." Those 19th century days of Tombstone, Deadwood and Dodge City have long since passed.

I live in a city that's the 11th largest municipality in the United States, where the 2nd Amendment is in full effect and respected, and we get along just fine without such insanely silly statutes. Not surprisingly, we have the lowest violent crime rate of any large city in the country.

In the 26 years I've lived here, we've had one significant multiple homicide by gun, the Xerox Bldg. shootings over in Kalihi back in November 1999, when seven people were killed by a disgruntled and mentally disturbed co-worker. And out of that tragedy, we passed tougher gun laws mandating the disclosure of any mental health issues or treatment for such within the prior seven years by any applicant applying for a gun permit. Not surprisingly, the NRA opposed this legislation, and also not surprisingly, the legislature ignored the NRA.

This was well thought out. People were in costume, thus helping this guy blend in and not look so out of place. Also, I don't know how you think they would have spotted him before anything was done, he apparently had the "drop" on them, and so while its arguable that a few people might have been saved if someone could fire back, it's almost certain that his initial attack would have started first.

And yes, crowded theaters are not the best place to deploy handguns in self defense. It's likely a few innocents would have been wounded or killed in the return fire.

Would that be
 the non smoking legal gun toting theater
               or
 the dope smoking, target rich theater?

A high-volume drum magazine was attached to the rifle, an assault weapon, the official said. Police Chief Dan Oates said that a 100-round drum magazine for the rifle was recovered from the scene.

"I'm told by experts that with that drum magazine, he could have gotten off 50 to 60 rounds, even if it was semiautomatic, within one minute," Oates said at a news conference. "And as far as we know, it was a pretty rapid pace of fire in that theater." link

Most weapons owned by Swiss citizens are military-issued assault rifles, and only officers are allowed military-issued pistols. Members of the militia are required to keep their weapons at home. It's really not uncommon to see someone carrying their weapon in public while they are serving on active duty.

Switzerland has very strict penalties for the unauthorized used of a firearm, and the overwhelming majority of Swiss citizens don't walk about town with concealed weapons on their persons, because the law prohibits such without a Waffentragschein (permit to carry a weapon). A private citizen can only obtain a Waffentragschein if he or she is working in a security-related position.

Further, while the Swiss government subsidizes the sale of ammunition to its citizens, you can only purchase said ammunition at a state-licensed gunnery range, and any ammunition that's purchased must be used at that particular gunnery range.

When carrying or transporting a weapon in Switzerland, the ammunition clip must be completely separated from the gun, and no rounds can be in the gun magazine itself. You may only carry or transport your weapon while on active duty military service; otherwise, transport must be direct, i.e., only to and from an army warehouse or licensed gunnery range, or if you work in security, only on the job.

Members of the Swiss militia have army-issued weapons in their homes, but this would include only males from age 20-30 (34 for officers).  Retired militia members may be permitted to keep their weapons but they must be converted to semi-automatic only.

Google Shopping is my friend. And there it is. I find it online to buy for $179.00.

But wait...

woe is me...

What is this message I get when ordering?

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York, who has waged a national campaign for stricter gun laws, called on President Obama and Mr. Romney to address more concretely the issue of gun violence in their campaigns.

"You know, soothing words are nice," Mr. Bloomberg said during his weekly radio program, "but maybe it's time that the two people who want to be president of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it, because this is obviously a problem across the country."