Shane Tamura used AR-15 in NYC shooting, America's most deadly gun involved in 10 of the deadliest US massacres since 2012; price and specifications
How many Americans own AR-15s?
History of AR-15 rifle in mass shooting
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The AR-15 rifle used by Shane Tamura in Monday's (July 28) deadly Midtown Manhattan shooting has brought fresh attention to the accessibility and firepower of semi-automatic weapons in the US. According to The New York Post, the weapon found next to Tamura's body on the 33rd floor of 345 Park Avenue was a Palmetto State Armory AR-15, a civilian model patterned after the military's M4/M16 rifles.It was reportedly purchased for around $420, a price point that makes it shockingly affordable for a weapon capable of mass carnage. Chambered in .223-caliber, it's designed for accuracy and rapid fire. This particular rifle was fitted with a black scope, a green handguard, and a shoulder sling, enhancements that aid in handling and targeting.According to FOX News, the attack left five dead, including a police officer, and four others injured, in what witnesses described as a 'barrage of shots' during the Monday evening rush.Authorities say the rifle was equipped with a 30-round magazine, the kind frequently associated with mass shootings due to its capacity to fire multiple rounds in quick succession.A concealed firearms permit issued in Tamura's name by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has appeared online.This permit was granted in June 2022 and remained valid for two years. According to NYP, the weapon used in the shooting was a .223-caliber AR-15-style rifle manufactured by Palmetto State Armory.While exact numbers are hard to pin down, estimates suggest millions of AR-15-style rifles are in circulation in the US.A 2022 Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that about 1 in 5 US gun owners, roughly 6 per cent of all adults, own an AR-15. Separately, a 2021 Georgetown University study estimated that 24.6 million Americans own AR-15-style rifles, with total ownership possibly exceeding 44 million rifles, as many owners have more than one.The AR-15 rifle has become a symbol of America's mass shooting epidemic. According to data compiled by the Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University's Mass Killing Database, AR-15-style rifles were used in 10 of the 17 deadliest mass killings in the United States since 2012.These include some of the most harrowing incidents in recent history, the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, which left 60 people dead, and the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, where 20 children and six adults were killed.Meanwhile, a separate count by Mother Jones magazine notes that the Louisville bank shooter was the seventh person in just 11 months to use an AR-15 in a mass shooting.
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