Police apparently prevented a worse massacre in the firearms attack on a school in the American city of St. Louis that killed two people. The 19-year-old attacker, who was shot by emergency services on Monday, had a semi-automatic rifle and numerous magazines totaling more than 600 rounds, Police Chief Mike Sack said Tuesday. “600 bullets is a lot of ammunition.”
“It could have been a horrible scene,” Sack said. “Thank goodness that wasn’t the case.” According to authorities, police officers arrived at Central Visual & Performing Arts High School in the Midwestern state of Missouri four minutes after the call came in. They shot the attacker in a firefight.
Orlando Harris, 19, stormed his former school Monday morning and shot and killed a 16-year-old student and a 61-year-old PE teacher. Seven other people were injured in the attack.
Announcement letter found
Police Chief Sack said a handwritten document was found in the gunman’s car in which Harris announced his intention to attack a school. “I have no friends. I have no family,” Sack quoted from the letter. “I’ve never had a girlfriend. I’ve never had a social life. I’ve been an isolated loner all my life.” That was “the perfect storm” for a shooter.
Deadly attacks on schools are common in the United States. In May, an 18-year-old shot and killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in the small Texas town of Uvalde.
Minimal compromises instead of prohibitions
In response to the Uvalde massacre, Congress passed the first tightening of gun laws at the federal level in nearly 30 years. But it was a minimal compromise between US President Joe Biden’s Democrats, who favor tougher gun laws — and opposition Republicans, who largely reject it.
Biden has repeatedly called for a ban on the sale of semi-automatic rifles. However, Republicans can prevent such a move with their blocking Senate minority.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
