WINDER, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 5: State of Georgia Chaplain Ronald Clark consoles students as they kneel in front of a makeshift memorial at Apalachee High School on September 5, 2024 in Winder, Georgia. Two students and two teachers were shot and killed at the school on September 4, and a 14-year-old suspect, who is a student at the school, is in custody. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

School Shootings, Fault and Responsibility

08/30/2025 | Doyle A Ranstrom, LLC |

Another school shooting. I am so sad. I wake up in the middle of the night and all I can think about the children, their parents, grandparents, and all of their family and friends. Usually when I play pickle ball I am able to focus and enjoy the sport. The last two mornings, I kept thinking about there is no child in America safe from gun violence. Not your child, not your grandchild, not your nephews or nieces, not your cousins, not your friends, not your neighbors. No child. Understandably, I sucked at PB the last two days.

I know the church and area very well. I have walked and biked by there countless times.

So whose fault is it. Obviously the shooter. He is mentally ill as is every one else who commits act of murder. But is he responsible or at least the only one responsible? No! Absolutely not.

So who is responsible?

First a little background.

  • The US is the leader globally in school shootings. And is not even close. One study found from 2009-2018 the US had 288 school shootings. The next country was Mexico at 8 and South Africa at 6. [School shooting was defined as at least one person shot.]
  • One study found that over 500 children were killed in school shootings from 2000-2022. As study down by Sandy Hook Promise found that since 1999, 390,000 have experienced gun violence at school.
  • A 2017 study found that Americans owned almost 400 Million firearms. This equated to a per capital of 120.50 guns per 100 Americans. What is really enlightening is a Pew Research found only about 32% of Americans own a gun.
  • Overall, a study found in 2023 about 47,000 Americans died from gun related injuries and another 76,000 were injured by guns.

We have a gun problem in the US and children continually pay the price.

In 2024 Pew Research found that almost 60% of Americans support stricter gun control.

So who is responsible?

Number 1: The gun industry. The last few years the gun industry has sold between 15 million and 23 million guns annually. The gross revenue in 2024 was an estimated $92 Billion. But what’s the cost to American. Everytown Research found that the economic cost of gun violence is about $557 Billion annually. [If you have not done so, check of their website at www.everytownresearch.org.] So the reality is the gun industry makes millions for its owners but costs Americans billions a year and they are partly responsible for every mass shooing or any shooting for that matter in the US. The gun industry is one of if not the largest beneficiaries of government subsidies in the US.

Number 2: The NRA. The NRA was founded in 1871 by two officers from the Civil War to help help soldiers learn to shoot better. For most of its history it was supportive of fun restrictions. However, that changed in the 1970s when NRA leadership changed and it became the leading advocate for no gun restrictions. The NRA makes it possible for a mentally ill young man to buy three guns and then use them to kill and injure children. In fact, the NRA is partially responsible for every mass shooting or even every shooting in the US. They are responsible because they oppose every time of gun restrictions even though the majority of the US citizens support gun restrictions and only about 30% of the Americans own guns. So how does the NRA do it. By making political donations [which are a form of bribes] to politicians who support their positions. And who are these politicians?

Number 3: Republicans members of Congress: According to the website Open Secrets, the NRA has historically given more money to Republicans, however, since 2012, the NRA has given almost exclusively to Republican candidates. In return, Republicans have supported [bribed] to support their agenda. In 2005 Republicans passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which protects gun companies from gun manufactures, distributors and sellers from civil lawsuits. So, in summary, Republicans in Congress have protected gun companies from civil lawsuits and protect them from gun regulations. So Republicans are partly responsible.

Number 4: Americans who vote Republican. Anyone who voted for Republican, local, state or federal supported the Republican agenda of protecting gun companies from civil suits and from gun regulations. School shooting in specific and gun violence in general is made possible by Americans voting for Republicans which means all the deaths, injuries, are partially their responsibility.

Summary

  • The US, is the leader, by a large amount, in school shootings global or mass shootings for that matter. Other countries have passed strict gun regulations and is it has worked.
  • Though there are substantially more guns in America than people and only 32% of Americans own guns, all Americans are paying a substantial cost for the total costs of gun violence.
  • The NRA supports [bribes] Republican members of Congress who protect the gun industry from regulations.
  • Republicans elect Republicans and that makes any or all who vote Republican partially responsible for any or all gun violence.

I have never belonged to a political party. But this is not about political parties. It is about protecting Americans, especially children, from gun violence. As a parent and grandparent I would never vote for anyone who does not support gun restrictions. More important I will always support any or all candidates who support the gun industry being responsible for the costs of gun violence in the form of sales taxes and annual registration fees. The fault is the shooter. The responsibility is Republicans.