Debate over stricter gun control in the United States

The recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida that killed seventeen people has reignited the highly charged debate over gun control regulation.

Michael Cargill is the proud owner of Central Texas Gun Works but said the recent Parkland Florida shooting that killed seventeen people hit home for him.

“I lived in Florida, that same county. I knew the same sheriff’s department, the same school district. I grew up not far from where this incident happened,” said Cargill.

He said it’s become common in situations like these to reignite the debate over gun control policies. Especially after a gun related tragedy.

“They go to stricter gun laws as a solution because they feel that there is some type of law that we can put on the books that can stop these tragedies when a person can use a knife they can use a sword they can use anything. You just can’t legislate crazy,” said Cargill.

A local gun control advocacy group called Texas Gun Sense put out a statement out after the shooting in Florida. Another advocacy called group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is also calling on the government to enforce stricter gun regulations.

“What we are looking for is to prevent those situations from happening in the first place prevent guns from ending up in the wrong hands and potentially harming a lot of people. We don’t have one answer to all of it. But we can certainly do better,” said Nicole Golden a volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Golden said it shouldn’t have to take tragedies like these to spark change.

“This a wide spread issue that needs to be addressed,” said Golden.

Cargill said he understands both sides of the argument. But said the best thing the country can do is not enforce stricter gun regulation but practice using the ones we already have in place.

“You will always have evil people who do evil things and the best thing we can do is enforce the laws that we already have on the books,” said Cargill. He also said one way to be safe is to use gun locks and gun training which help deter guns from falling into the wrong hands.