High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines: The Common Thread That Runs Through Mass Shootings

Violence Policy Center Details Use of High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines in 10 Prior Mass Shootings; VPC Calls on Congress to Ban High-Capacity Magazines, Save Lives

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- High-capacity ammunition magazines are the common thread that run through most mass shootings, the Violence Policy Center (VPC) stated today in profiling the guns and ammunition magazines used in 10 of America's most notorious mass shootings (http://www.vpc.org/fact_sht/VPCshootinglist.pdf).

"The Arizona attack joins a long list of mass shootings made possible by the easy availability of ammunition magazines that can hold up to 100 rounds:  Columbine, Virginia Tech, Luby's, Wedgewood Baptist Church, Stockton, and all too many others," said VPC Legislative Director Kristen Rand.  

The Violence Policy Center is calling on Congress to pass a new law banning the manufacture and sale of high-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.  Earlier this week, Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) announced plans to introduce legislation to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines.  A similar ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines was in place for 10 years as part of the now-expired federal assault weapons ban.

Adds Rand, "High-capacity ammunition magazines facilitate mass shootings by giving attackers the ability to fire numerous rounds without reloading.  An effective ban on high-capacity magazines will help prevent tragedies like the one that claimed six lives and wounded numerous others last Saturday.  We can save lives in the future with this simple, effective proposal."

The VPC yesterday released a backgrounder on the Glock 19 pistol and ammunition magazine used in the Arizona attack (see http://www.vpc.org/fact_sht/AZbackgrounder.pdf for backgrounder).

The Violence Policy Center (www.vpc.org) is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury.  Follow the VPC on Twitter (http://twitter.com/VPCinfo) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Violence-Policy-Center/284334690298?ref=ts).

CONTACT:  Rob Lamontagne, 202-822-8200 x110, press@vpc.org

SOURCE Violence Policy Center

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