In the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre on April 16, 2007, where the world witnessed a quiet campus in the hills of southwestern Virginia become a shooting gallery that left 32 people dead, it is time to do something about guns in America. This is not the first such tragedy in the United States and unfortunately they seem to be appearing with more frequency and greater violence. One only has to remember such incidents as the McDonald’s (1984), Luby’s (1991), and Columbine (1999) massacres to understand this. Based on our current state of affairs, America simply has a plethora of guns and too many irresponsible people. Something needs to change regarding our public policy toward guns. The question is what to do?
The news-reporting in the aftermath of the VA Tech Massacre labeled it as the worst shooting spree in the United States and most likely the entire world. When measured in numbers killed, the media was correct in that it was the worst tragedy for America, but they were wrong in terms of the world. On April 28, 1996, a shooting spree claiming more lives and leaving more people injured erupted in Port Arthur, Australia. American policy-makers could learn a lot from that incident and the public policy changes that took place in Australia in its aftermath.
The perpetrator in the Port Arthur shooting was Martin Bryant, a 28-year-old who inherited a large sum of money while in his early twenties. Initially he wandered the world, but eventually his estate managers put a stop to the excessive travels as his funds were quickly being depleted. Around this time he began purchasing a number of handguns, shotguns, and semi-automatic rifles, including an AR-10 and AR-15.
On the morning of April 28, 1996, Bryant headed to a hotel called Seascape. Bryant’s father had attempted to purchase this property, but a couple by the name of Martin purchased the property before he did. Bryant’s father became depressed and committed suicide, thus Bryant inherited his father’s wealth. Upon entering Seascape, Bryant fired off several rounds, eventually killing both Mr. and Mrs. Martin. He then drove to the Port Arthur historic site where he entered a café, sat down with his bag, and ordered a meal. Finishing the meal, he placed the bag on the table and pulled out the AR-15 and began firing indiscriminately at the patrons. At one point, he shot a mother and her daughter whom she was trying to protect. The mother survived, the daughter did not. In total, 12 people were now dead and 9 were wounded.
Bryant then moved to an adjoining gift shop and continued his assault. Another eight people were left dead before Bryant exited to the parking lot. At this point people were learning of the shootings from those who had escaped the café and gift store. As the people were fleeing, Bryant continued to fire upon them as he moved further into the parking lot. He then returned to his car and proceeded to drive away. As he was leaving, he saw a mother and her two daughters (ages 3 and 6) fleeing. Bryant slowed down, and the mother, thinking he was someone slowing to help them, approached the car. Bryant opened fire again, killing the mother and one of the daughters. The six-year-old fled and hid behind a tree. Bryant got out of the car, went behind the tree, and shot the girl point blank.
He returned to his car and drove to a toll booth, where once again he opened fire, killing several more people. He then drove to a gas station where he cut off a car trying to leave the station. In the confrontation, he shot and killed the two occupants of the car.
Bryant then returned to Seascape, set the car on fire, and holed himself up inside the hotel, continuing to shoot at anyone who approached, including the police. The standoff with the police lasted nearly 18 hours. The next morning Bryant set the guest house on fire and told the police to come get him. They waited until he fled the burning building and arrested him.
In the end, Martin Bryant had shot 72 people, killing 35 and wounding 37. He was tried and convicted and is currently serving 35 life sentences in an Australian prison.
The incident created widespread shock, and the demand for change in the gun laws grew so great that politicians at the state and federal level were forced to react. Rather than responding only to Bryant’s perceived mental illness, the government passed comprehensive gun laws. These included making it mandatory to obtain a firearm license in order to own a gun, banning nearly all semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, and limiting gun ownership to those over 18 years of age. Other restrictions were also imposed, including a reduced magazine capacity, a maximum caliber, and a minimum barrel length. A national tax was then imposed and a massive government buyback program initiated in order to purchase and destroy those guns which had previously been legal. The result was a greatly reduced gun culture, which had not been too dissimilar to the U.S., and the number of gun crimes dropped precipitously. The severe restrictions appear to have been the lynchpin in reducing the violence.
Reducing the number of guns finding their way into the hands of irresponsible people must be our policy focus in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy. Current gun policy in America simply does not work and it is time for change. We must not squander this window of opportunity to do something about gun violence in America, before we become the country with the worst shooting spree in the history of the world.
Dr. Willard Oliver is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University.
The news-reporting in the aftermath of the VA Tech Massacre labeled it as the worst shooting spree in the United States and most likely the entire world. When measured in numbers killed, the media was correct in that it was the worst tragedy for America, but they were wrong in terms of the world. On April 28, 1996, a shooting spree claiming more lives and leaving more people injured erupted in Port Arthur, Australia. American policy-makers could learn a lot from that incident and the public policy changes that took place in Australia in its aftermath.
The perpetrator in the Port Arthur shooting was Martin Bryant, a 28-year-old who inherited a large sum of money while in his early twenties. Initially he wandered the world, but eventually his estate managers put a stop to the excessive travels as his funds were quickly being depleted. Around this time he began purchasing a number of handguns, shotguns, and semi-automatic rifles, including an AR-10 and AR-15.
On the morning of April 28, 1996, Bryant headed to a hotel called Seascape. Bryant’s father had attempted to purchase this property, but a couple by the name of Martin purchased the property before he did. Bryant’s father became depressed and committed suicide, thus Bryant inherited his father’s wealth. Upon entering Seascape, Bryant fired off several rounds, eventually killing both Mr. and Mrs. Martin. He then drove to the Port Arthur historic site where he entered a café, sat down with his bag, and ordered a meal. Finishing the meal, he placed the bag on the table and pulled out the AR-15 and began firing indiscriminately at the patrons. At one point, he shot a mother and her daughter whom she was trying to protect. The mother survived, the daughter did not. In total, 12 people were now dead and 9 were wounded.
Bryant then moved to an adjoining gift shop and continued his assault. Another eight people were left dead before Bryant exited to the parking lot. At this point people were learning of the shootings from those who had escaped the café and gift store. As the people were fleeing, Bryant continued to fire upon them as he moved further into the parking lot. He then returned to his car and proceeded to drive away. As he was leaving, he saw a mother and her two daughters (ages 3 and 6) fleeing. Bryant slowed down, and the mother, thinking he was someone slowing to help them, approached the car. Bryant opened fire again, killing the mother and one of the daughters. The six-year-old fled and hid behind a tree. Bryant got out of the car, went behind the tree, and shot the girl point blank.
He returned to his car and drove to a toll booth, where once again he opened fire, killing several more people. He then drove to a gas station where he cut off a car trying to leave the station. In the confrontation, he shot and killed the two occupants of the car.
Bryant then returned to Seascape, set the car on fire, and holed himself up inside the hotel, continuing to shoot at anyone who approached, including the police. The standoff with the police lasted nearly 18 hours. The next morning Bryant set the guest house on fire and told the police to come get him. They waited until he fled the burning building and arrested him.
In the end, Martin Bryant had shot 72 people, killing 35 and wounding 37. He was tried and convicted and is currently serving 35 life sentences in an Australian prison.
The incident created widespread shock, and the demand for change in the gun laws grew so great that politicians at the state and federal level were forced to react. Rather than responding only to Bryant’s perceived mental illness, the government passed comprehensive gun laws. These included making it mandatory to obtain a firearm license in order to own a gun, banning nearly all semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, and limiting gun ownership to those over 18 years of age. Other restrictions were also imposed, including a reduced magazine capacity, a maximum caliber, and a minimum barrel length. A national tax was then imposed and a massive government buyback program initiated in order to purchase and destroy those guns which had previously been legal. The result was a greatly reduced gun culture, which had not been too dissimilar to the U.S., and the number of gun crimes dropped precipitously. The severe restrictions appear to have been the lynchpin in reducing the violence.
Reducing the number of guns finding their way into the hands of irresponsible people must be our policy focus in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy. Current gun policy in America simply does not work and it is time for change. We must not squander this window of opportunity to do something about gun violence in America, before we become the country with the worst shooting spree in the history of the world.
Dr. Willard Oliver is Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University.
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