America is stunned to look back at the issue of race and hot weapons.
Coldly firing eight bullets at two journalists, who were also his colleagues, and then shooting himself, the murderer's actions made American society look back at itself.
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PeopleAmericans come to commemorate the victims in Virginia - Photo: Reuters |
According to CNN, the man who shot and killed two journalists from WDBJ TV station in Moneta, Virginia (USA) on August 26 was no stranger to the victims.
Vester Lee Flanagan, pen name Bryce Williams, is a former WDBJ employee who was fired two years ago.
Bryce Williams has been a job-hopper in television and has often had issues with race. As a black man, Bryce Williams sued his former boss in Florida for racial discrimination. However, the case was later settled out of court.
On August 25, before the shooting, Bryce Williams' Twitter account posted information saying that female reporter Alison Parker (who was murdered) had made racist comments.
But in a 23-page "suicide note" faxed to ABC News before the incident, the killer listed a long list of his worries.
He said he was attacked by both black men and white women. He said he was attacked for being black and gay. He also said he endured racism, sexual abuse and bullying at work...
And the last straw was the shooting and killing of a black man at a church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17. Exactly two days later, he ordered a gun, waiting for the right moment to act...
Immediately after the incident in Virginia, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said that although the relevant details will continue to be investigated, he also called on the US Congress to review gun laws.
Presidential candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties also expressed sympathy for the two unfortunate journalists. Many Democratic lawmakers emphasized the need to change gun laws to avoid similar tragedies.
According to CNN, Mrs. Hillary Clinton gave a very long speech about the need for stricter gun control during a meeting with the press in Ankeny, Iowa.
“We have to do something about gun violence in America,” Clinton said. “And I’m going to do it. It’s a tough, political issue in America. But I believe we’re smart enough, compassionate enough, to know how to balance Second Amendment rights with prevention and control so that, whatever the motive of the killer who ultimately committed suicide, we don’t have to see more senseless and unnecessary deaths.”
According to Vox magazine (USA), in 2013, 4,400 people died on the job in the US, 400 of whom were murdered. Murder is also the leading cause of death for women who died on the job.
The United States also has unusually high rates of gun violence among wealthy nations. But worryingly, most gun violence is not linked to mental illness.
US Walmart system stops selling rifles
Walmart recently announced that it would stop selling military-style semi-automatic rifles across the United States. This move comes after years of public pressure calling on Walmart to stop selling lethal weapons that have been linked to many bloody shootings.
Anti-gun advocates see Walmart's policy change as a milestone.
These discontinued guns have been used by madmen in recent shootings in the US, including the Colorado massacre that killed 12 people, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut that killed 20 children and teachers, and 9 others who died in a church in South Carolina...
Walmart's gun sales policy has long been criticized in areas where the company is looking to expand. Gun control advocates in the US are hoping other major retailers such as Dick's Sporting Goods, Cabela's... will follow Walmart's example.
Walmart spokesman Kory Lundberg said his company will no longer sell modern rifles (redesigned for hunting purposes) or any weapons that can use high-capacity magazines.
In an interview with CNN, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said he wants to limit the sale of similar guns.
According to the New York Times, although Walmart announced that their decision was due to reduced demand, in reality, sales of rifles and assault rifles in the US are very stable.
According to TTO
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