‘Assault Weapons’ Ban, Firearm Confiscation Orders Did Not Prevent YouTube Shooting

California has an “assault weapons” ban and firearm confiscation orders, but neither control prevented the Tuesday attack at YouTube’s San Bruno headquarters.

Ironically, “assault weapons” bans and confiscation orders have been put forward as controls needed in the aftermath of the February 14 Parkland school shooting. Gun control proponents also pushed universal background checks and waiting periods following the Parkland attack, but California has both of those too.

In fact, California has some of the most stringent gun controls in the country. The “assault weapons” ban, confiscation orders, universal background checks, and 10-day waiting period are complimented by a requirement that would-be firearm owners acquire a safety certificate from the state, that all firearms be registered with the state, and that law-abiding citizens pursuing a concealed carry permit demonstrate “good cause” for wanting to carry a gun.

Ammunition controls already exist in California, too. These require that Californians only buy ammunition from state-approved vendors and, starting January 1, 2019, will require residents to pass a point-of-sale background check for a box of bullets.

But none of these controls prevented Nasim Aghdam from possessing a handgun with which she injured three then killed herself at YouTube headquarters.

Yet gun control proponents like actor and comedian Michael Ian Black still reacted to the incident by complaining about the “easy access to firearms.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.