Have Your Say: Will banning assault weapons in Colorado stop mass shootings?

COLORADO: Let's talk about the impact of banning assault weapons.

Here's what you need to know in brief:

• Three lawmakers in Colorado have proposed a bill which would ban assault weapons
• People agree on gun policies more than we might expect

Have your say: Will banning assault weapons in Colorado stop mass shootings?

Will a ban on assault weapons stop mass shootings?Photo byBy Pexels on Pixabay

Proposed bill to ban weapons

As a response to mass shootings in Colorado, 3 democratic lawmakers have developed a plan, the first step being a proposed ban of "assault weapons" in Colorado.

It may end up being less straightforward than a blanket ban on various guns.

For example, in Denver (where gun laws are different than the rest of Colorado currently) a rifle such as an AR-15 is okay to own but becomes illegal if you buy a magazine that fits the gun and holds more than 15 rounds.

"many assault weapons are now allowed in Denver, except for those with a high capacity magazine of 15 rounds or more. This means that an AR15 with a 14 round magazine is not considered an assault weapon under Denver's ordinance. However, if the same rifle had 16 or more rounds in it, it would be considered an assault weapon." --ORRlaw

Gun owners and non-gun owners agree

We always imagine gun owners and non-gun owners disagree with each other.

But according to John Hopkins Research Center, gun owners and non-gun owners generally agree on gun policies. In a 2017 poll:

the majority of respondents supported gun restrictions or regulations, including requiring a background check on every gun sale (universal background check) and prohibiting a person subject to a temporary domestic violence restraining order from having a gun for the duration of the order.

What we disagree on more is what solution is the right one for preventing mass shootings.

Is it gun control or something else?

We want to hear your thoughts

• Is a ban going to make any impact on mass shootings?
• How do you think they'll define assault weapons?
• What do you think should happen in Colorado?