In the immediate aftermath of an assassination attempt on Republican politicians at a Virginia baseball field, the anti-gun mainstream media blamed Virginia’s “lax gun control laws.” Virginia’s Governor immediately used the shooting to further his agenda. Virginia needs to do more to “get guns off the streets”! There was one problem with the narrative: it was wrong.
Virginia’s gun control laws weren’t applicable to the assailant. The FBI issued a report on the facts of the case, summarized by the National Review:
…the guns weren’t bought in Virginia; they were bought in Illinois, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. And they weren’t purchased privately, illegally, or without attendant background checks, but “legally through federal firearms licensees” that are obliged under federal law to run checks. Moreover, Hodgkinson only got the weapons after he obtained an additional possession-and-purchase license (FOID) of the sort that more extreme gun-control advocates want to see made mandatory in all states.
The media also called the SKS rifle an “assault weapon” or “assault rifle.” As we pointed out, it was a standard SKS rifle with an internal 10-round magazine. But don’t take our word for it. The SKS is specifically exempt from the “assault weapon bans” currently in force in New York and California. Even under the latest federally-proposed assault weapon ban, the SKS doesn’t qualify.
As with the San Bernardino terrorist attack, the baseball shooter modified his rifle. In this case, he added a detachable magazine and folding stock. Under some states’ regulations, the addition of these items re-classified the firearm as an “assault weapon.” But not according to any technical (see: select fire) or sensible definition.
The Congressional baseball shooting does not demonstrate the need for “stronger” gun control laws. It’s an illustration of gun control laws’ inherent inability to stop criminals, crazies and terrorists from realizing their violent plans. And the mainstream media’s inability to report the truth about guns.