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On October 1, 64-year-old Nevada resident Steven Paddock shot the visitors of the country music festival Route 91 from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas. From the bullet of the pensioner, 58 people were killed, and hundreds were injured. The bloody massacre was recognized as the largest incident of its kind in modern US history.
In second place by the number of victims – a mass execution in Orlando, Florida, which occurred just over a year ago, on June 12, 2016. On that fateful evening, 29-year-old Omar Martin killed 49 and wounded 53 people near the nightclub Pulse.
Closes the top three among the notorious events of the massacre in the Californian city of San Bernardino. On December 2, 2015, the spouses Said Faruk and Tashfin Malik opened fire at a district health department event that was held in the center for people with developmental disabilities. Arrows killed 14 people and wounded 17.
If you look at the three tragedies, there is an alarming regularity – they all occurred with an average interval of about a year, and the number of victims increased with each subsequent incident.
The common factor between these cases is firearms. It was from him that all the victims died, and the criminals acquired rifles and pistols perfectly legally. The results speak for themselves.
Each incident provoked a nationwide debate over the freedom of arms trade in the United States and the lack of effective restrictions on its ownership.
Paddock demonstrated the imperfection of laws very clearly: after a mass execution, 23 units of firearms, mostly rifles, were found in his room. Another 19 security officials were found during the search of his house in Meksite. Most of this arsenal, the killer legally bought up over the past year, without any reaction from the authorities.
Why did it happen? The reason is that the federal law does not require arms sellers to report the acquisition of rifles, unless the buyer takes more than one piece at a time. Since 1789, every American has a constitutional right to own weapons and can use it almost unhindered.
The rules differ only according to local laws that operate on the territory of different states. So, what do you need to buy a gun in this or that part of America?
Alabama
Age of the buyer – from 18 years. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time, there is no waiting period and no briefing on the safety of its use.
The concealed carrying of weapons is allowed only to residents of Alabama. The license is valid for 5 years.
Open wearing without special permission, there are some restrictions on the pistols.
Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is allowed in some territories.
The seller must have a license from the state authorities and a license from the Bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, keep records of sales.
The use of assault weapons and machine guns is not regulated.
Alaska
Age of the buyer – from 18 years. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time, there is no waiting period.
The right to concealed carrying of weapons is available to anyone aged 21 years or over.
Special permission is required.
Every owner has the right to open arms. Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is allowed in some territories. The final decision is made by the administration of the educational institution.
The seller must have a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assault weapons and machine guns: there are no restrictions on the wearing of assault weapons. Machine guns, as a rule, are forbidden with some exceptions.
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Arizona
Age of the buyer – from 18 years. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time, there is no waiting period.
Any Arizona resident aged 21 or over (19 years old for military) has the right to covertly carry weapons. A permit is required from the Department of Public Security of Arizona.
Every owner has the right to open arms.
Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is allowed in some territories. The final decision is made by the administration of the educational institution.
The seller must have a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assault weapons and machine guns: there are no restrictions on the wearing of assault weapons. Machine guns are usually banned if they are not purchased before May 19, 1986 and are not registered in accordance with federal law.
Arkansas
Age of the buyer – from 18 years for the purchase of pistols. There is no age limit for wearing smooth-bore weapons. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time, there is no waiting period.
The right to concealed carrying of weapons is available to anyone from the age of 21 years (from 18 years for military personnel), a license is required for concealed carrying of weapons (valid for 5 years). It is mandatory to have a briefing on the safety of using firearms.
For open carrying weapons do not require special permission. There are some restrictions.
Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is prohibited.
The seller must have a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assault weapons and machine guns: there are no restrictions on the wearing of assault weapons. Machine guns are usually banned if they are not purchased before May 19, 1986 and are not registered in accordance with federal law.
California
Age of the buyer – from 18 years to purchase long-barreled weapons, from 21 – to purchase a gun. It is forbidden to buy more than one gun within 30 days, a 10-day waiting period.
To conceal a weapon, a license is required (valid for 2 years). It is mandatory to have a briefing on the safety of using firearms.
Open weapons are generally prohibited, however, sheriffs may issue appropriate licenses to districts with a population of less than 200,000, and police chiefs in cities located in such districts.
Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is allowed in some territories. The final decision is made by the administration of the educational institution.
The seller must have a license from the state authorities and a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assault weapons and machine guns: Assault weapons must be registered. Machine guns are prohibited.
Colorado
Age of the buyer – from 18 years for the purchase of pistols. There is no age limit for wearing smooth-bore weapons. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time, there is no waiting period.
The inhabitants of Colorado at the age of 21 have the right to concealed carrying of weapons. A sheriff’s permission is required. It is mandatory to have a briefing on the safety of using firearms.
For open carrying weapons do not need permission.
The carrying of weapons on the territory of state educational institutions is allowed
The seller must have a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assault weapons and machine guns: there are no restrictions on the wearing of assault weapons. Machine guns are usually banned if they are not purchased before May 19, 1986 and are not registered in accordance with federal law.
Connecticut
Age of the buyer – from 21 years for the purchase of guns, from 18 – for smoothbore weapons. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time. To buy a smoothbore gun, the waiting period is 2 weeks.
The right to concealed carrying of weapons is available to persons aged 21 and under permission (valid 5 years). It is mandatory to have a briefing on the safety of using firearms.
To openly carry a smoothbore weapon does not require permission, for a gun is required. Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is prohibited.
The seller must have a license from the state authorities and a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assault weapons and machine guns. Assault weapons are allowed, if it was purchased before July 1, 1994. Special automatic, semi-automatic weapons and machine guns are prohibited.
Columbia region
Age of the buyer – from 21 years for the purchase of guns, from 18 – for smoothbore weapons. There is a 10-day waiting period for the purchase. Within 30 days you can not buy more than 1 weapon.
The right to concealed carrying of weapons is held by persons aged 21 and under a license that is valid for 2 years.
Open carrying of weapons and carrying weapons on the territory of educational institutions is prohibited.
The seller must have a license from the state authorities and a license from the Bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, keep a record of sales and have a detailed inventory of the goods.
Assault weapons and machine guns are prohibited.
Delaware
Age of the buyer – from 21 years for the purchase of pistols and smoothbore weapons, from 18 – for ammunition. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time and the waiting period.
For concealed carrying weapons require a permit to store weapons issued in Delaware (valid for 3 years). Must pass the fire safety course.
For open carrying weapons do not need permission. Wearing weapons on the territory of educational institutions is prohibited.
The seller must have a license from the state authorities and a license from the Bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, keep records of sales. Assault weapons and machine guns: there are no restrictions on the wearing of assault weapons. Machine guns are prohibited.
Florida
Age of the buyer – from 21 years for the purchase of guns, from 18 – for smoothbore weapons. There is a 3-day waiting period for the purchase. There are no restrictions on the number of firearms acquired at a time.
The right to concealed carrying of weapons is held by persons aged 21 and under permission (valid 7 years). Must pass the fire safety course.
Open carrying of weapons is prohibited. The carrying of weapons on the territory of educational institutions is permitted only if they are stored in vehicles.
The seller must have a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assault weapons and machine guns: there are no restrictions on the carrying and storage of assault weapons and machine guns. If you live in Florida, then you have every right to keep a machine gun at home.
The current laws of weapons in the rest of the states you will find in the following parts of the material.