Gun laws vary from state to state, but more often than not, states do not restrict the type of military-style weapons and large-capacity magazines that were used in two mass shootings over the weekend.
In both shootings, the weapons were acquired legally.
In Ohio and Texas, there is no ban on the type of military-style rifles that are often used in mass shootings. These types of semi-automatic weapons let gunmen fire rapidly, as quickly as they can pull the trigger, allowing an active shooter to kill a lot of people quickly.
“A normal individual seeing that type of weapon might be alarmed, but technically it was in the realm of the law,” Greg Allen, the El Paso police chief, told reporters.
Only six states and the District of Columbia have enacted bans on military-style weapons. Many cities, including Dayton, ban these types of weapons.
The Dayton gunman bought his AR-style weapon online and had it shipped from Texas to a gun store in Ohio, where he picked it up, according to the Dayton Police Department. The weapon was modified with a brace to improve stability, which means that it functioned identically to a short-barreled AR-style rifle. The modification was legal, according to the Police Department.
Mass shooters have also circumvented state law by traveling to neighboring states with fewer gun restrictions to purchase weapons, or by making small modifications to other legal weapons.
The gunman who killed three people in Gilroy, Calif., in July traveled to Nevada to buy his military-style rifle, which was configured in a way that is illegal in California.
