The world woke up to yet another unspeakable act of gun violence and terror in the US. Nineteen children, aged between seven and 10, as well as two teachers were murdered at Robb Elementary School in Texas. It was the 27th US school shooting this year and the deadliest in a decade. The Gun Violence Archive calculates there have been 212 mass shootings in America so far in 2022, defined as an event in which four or more people are shot or killed.
Change is possible. Following the 1996 Dunblane massacre, in which a gunman shot dead 16 primary school children and one teacher, Britain banned handguns for most purposes. Australia similarly transformed its gun laws following the Port Arthur massacre of the same year. Both actions have undoubtedly saved countless lives.
