AR-15s fire high-velocity bullets that travel three times as fast as a pistol bullet (File)
Washington:
The attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump with a semi-automatic rifle further illustrates how easy it is for shooters in the US to get their hands on cheap, easy-to-use military-style weapons.
The AR-15 style rifle is one of the most popular weapons in the US. It has also been a common denominator in some of the country’s worst mass shootings.
Here are some important facts about the weapon:
Why are AR-15s so deadly?
The AR-15 is a semi-automatic weapon, meaning a user can fire multiple shots in rapid succession.
Its cousin, the M-16, has been used by the US military since Vietnam. Although some military assault rifles are fully automatic, civilians are prohibited from possessing such weapons in most circumstances.
AR-15s fire high-velocity bullets that travel three times as fast as a pistol round, are accurate over long distances, and cause extensive, devastating wounds to soft tissue and internal organs.
Although handguns are responsible for more deaths each year in the United States, AR-15s are often used in high-profile mass shootings.
In May 2022, a former student used an AR-15 to shoot and kill nineteen children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
The weapon was also used in Las Vegas in October 2017, where a gunman massacred 60 people at a music festival.
Cheap and easy
Buying an AR-15 is easy. Depending on the state of residence, a potential owner can walk into a gun shop and, after showing valid ID, purchase a rifle or shotgun, provided he can pass a federal background check.
This process looks at a buyer’s criminal history and whether they have ever been committed to a mental institution. But even this cursory check can be ignored in private sales.
The National Rifle Association (NRA) promotes the rifles for recreational shooting and home defense, but critics say their lethality means they don’t belong in civilian hands.
Part of the reason for the popularity of AR-15s in America is that they are widely customizable, with owners able to add scopes, high-capacity magazines, and a plethora of other accessories.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives doesn’t know how many assault weapons there are in America; they are prohibited by federal law from maintaining a gun registration database.
A 2023 Washington Post poll found that one in twenty American adults owns at least one AR-15.
Banned in several states
Assault weapons were banned in 1994 under President Bill Clinton, but the restriction was dropped in 2004 under pressure from the powerful NRA.
Federal efforts to reform gun laws have since been stymied, with critics claiming they infringe on the constitutional right to own a firearm enshrined in the Second Amendment.
However, several states, such as California, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Washington DC, have banned the possession of assault weapons.
California claims its gun safety laws have helped save 19,000 lives in 10 years.
In May, President Joe Biden’s administration took action to crack down on gun sales at gun shows and online that bypassed federal background checks.
But several Republican-led states quickly filed suit to block the measure.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)