Ban assault weapons and dangerous hardware

Mass shootings in the United States are not only a threat to public safety, but also a source of widespread fear and anxiety that affects the mental health of millions of Americans. More than 50 percent of teenagers worry about a shooting occurring in their school, which is associated with heightened anxiety and fear. A large majority of Americans report fears of mass shootings, with one in three avoiding certain events and places.[2]

One of the factors that contributes to this fear is the availability and use of assault weapons and dangerous hardware that facilitate and increase the lethality of mass shootings. Assault weapons are semi-automatic firearms that can fire more rounds in a shorter amount of time and cause more damage than other kinds of guns.[3] High-capacity magazines generally hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition and allow shooters to fire more shots without reloading, increasing the potential for casualties.[4] Researchers found that the federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines from 1994 to 2004 reduced the likelihood of mass shooting deaths by 70 percent for the ban period and estimated that 314 out of 448 would have been prevented in the 12 years before and after the ban.[5]

Other conversion devices, such as silencers and bump stocks, can also enhance the deadly potential of firearms. Silencers, which are devices that suppress the noise of gunshots, can hinder the ability of law enforcement or bystanders to locate and respond to an active shooter.[6] Bump stocks, which are devices that enable semi-automatic rifles to fire at a nearly automatic rate, were used by the shooter in the 2017 Las Vegas massacre that killed 58 people and wounded hundreds more.[7]