Opinion: The Parkland shooter's AR-15 was designed to kill as efficiently as possible

NBC "News" ^ | February 15, 2018 | by Dr. Ernest E. Moore

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I am a trauma surgeon, and I've seen what AR-15s can do. There's no reason for civilians to own them.

An assault rifle is designed to deliver fatal wounds to multiple individuals within a short time period; it has no other purpose. The AR-15, the civilian version of the military assault rifle (M16 or M4), has become the most commonly used rifle in US mass shootings; the recent shootings in Parkland and Las Vegas, for instance, testify to the effectiveness of this weapon’s design. It was made for the military, to allow members of the armed forces to better dispatch multiple enemies in short order; in the hands of civilians, it not only clearly serves the same purpose for some individuals, but it’s unclear what other purpose it could serve, given how and why it was made.

Given that, there is no reason that these weapons should be broadly available to the civilian population. But, given that they are, let’s all understand how they are designed to kill people, not simply to shoot targets for fun.

As a trauma surgeon for 40 years (and avid hunter for much longer), I am dismayed that we remain paralyzed over preventive measures. There have already been 18 school shootings in 2018, when one would be too many: This cannot remain a political issue when it is clearly an issue of common sense.

[pacific_waters]

The I assume you’ve seen what a machete will. I suggest you look at the wound cavity of a lever action 30-30.

[backwoods-engineer]

YOU DANG RIGHT IT'S DESIGNED TO KILL.

Just come and try to take our guns, Doctor, and you will find out!

[TigersEye]

As opposed to the centuries of firearms design tradition of doing
everything possible to make them difficult if not impossible to use.

MD = Mentally Deficient

[Scrambler Bob]

Well, in CA I have hunted grasshoppers with a pellet gun.

[tomkat]

Sorry then, I shouldn't have been so snarky  :-\

[skimbell]

"The AR-15...has become the most commonly used rifle in US mass shootings; the recent shootings in Parkland and Las Vegas...testify to the effectiveness of this weapon’s design."

Tell you what Ernie, the AR-15 is a fun little gun to plink around with, and you are quite right that the gun, as with all guns, will kill.

The AR-15 however, isn't some magical killing machine that draws on other worldly properties to achieve some kind of super lethality. The AR-15 is, in comparison to some other guns, really sort of weak.

In my opinion, the M1 Garand, the M1A and the AR-10 are all a much more powerful weapon than is the AR-15.

I am also of the opinion that sooner or later, someone is going to use one of these weapons in a school or hotel or concert shooting.

When/if that happens, people are going to have to reassess what they mean when they throw terms like "high power" and "assault weapon" around like they do.

[Elsie]

Opinion: The Parkland shooter's AR-15 was designed to kill as efficiently as possible

DUH!!

[Elsie]

There's no reason for civilians to own them.

Except to standoff the enemy military.

[Elsie]

As a trauma surgeon for 40 years (and avid hunter for much longer), I am dismayed that we remain paralyzed over preventive measures.

CHOICE kills about 1,000,000 each year.

How 'dismayed' does THAT fact make you?

[Elsie]

Whatcha expect; when 50% of all doctors graduate in the lower half of their class!

[Elsie]

About 3,300

[Elsie]

That’s MORE than on 911

[Elsie]

[Elsie]

BINGO!

[Elsie]

Nasty red tip!

[fella]

3,300 is the average.

[Elsie]

Both are liberal obfuscations.

 

 

You used WAY too many electrons!!

[M Kehoe]

+1.

5.56mm

[nevadapatriot]

Amen brother

[Elsie]

The American media is PUMPING this kinda stuff into homes all across our great land; KNOWING that impressionable young children are present!!!

https://www.google.com/search?q=biathlon+rifle&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwja4fGkkanZAhUJiIMKHaJyAJ0Q_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=651