No civilian should have the right to carry fire-arms PERIOD! Its not just about murders, its also about accidental deaths and suicides! Remove the weapon and those deaths WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED!
Disclaimer: I'm an American and I own several rifles.
Keep in mind in a Finland, a very significant portion of the populace goes on to become military reservists; and I think it's ingrained in the Finnish culture to maintain a militia.
Limiting firearms to 'only Civilians' in Finland would probably only take a few guns off the street. Esp in a nation that strikes me as paranoid against Russian Invasion (and not unwarranted either mind you, based on historical accounts).
There's numerous factors that play into shooting incidents, including but not limited to:
- State of mind of the firearm user (being it a Drunk Guy cleaning his rifle, or a kid that got picked on to much and snaps)
- Availability and security of firearms
- Training and Education (more a factor in accidental shootings)
Although I am a US Firearm Owner; I do realize that it's less likely to harm a greater quantity of persons with something not a firearm. Therefore I do recognize that imposing stricter gun-control may create a good chance of reducing the number of extraneous causalities in firearm incidents.
I also believe that proper education and media portray of firearms stands the same chance.
[IE: if all the 'gangsta' movies started using knives and icepicks again; you might see a higher rate of assaults with said weapons]
However;
I will argue that if someone really wants to kill someone; it's nearly impossible to stop them. A pencil can be deadly. That said, if the kid's dad worked in a mine, would the kid have pilfered some dynamite? Who's to say.
Unfortunately the same can be said with suicide, and I know it's a touchy subject since more then a handful of well known and respected RO formers have passed on in that manner. But again, if someone really wants to off themselves, they can just as easily OD on pills or slit their wrists, or if they are really-motivated, step in front of a subway train or jump from a building. Sad I know.
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All of that said and done; it is very unfortunate that the event happened. My condolences to the families.
