Here's a gun safety idea that would have stopped the Sandy Hook killer dead in his tracks [View all]
A civilian armory.
I've always been intrigued by this concept - a central repository for weapons, supervised by law enforcement, where ordinary folks like you and I can stash our weapons if we're unable to store them at home.
Right now, the closest thing I can think of to this concept is dropping off your gun at a pawn shop. It's very secure, there's armed security and surveillance because of the sheer amount of merchandise, and if you want to redeem the gun from pawn, you have to go through another background check.
An armory would serve as an attractive alternative to pawn shops, especially since many pawn shops refuse to handle firearms. Fees for storage can be used for mental health screenings, school safety, or whatever the voters decide during the bond referendum. And when you check the gun out, the police administer an NICS check on the spot. If it fails, you can't check out the gun, and it could become the property of the police department unless you can prove your innocence pronto.
If Lanza's mother insisted on keeping her firearms, she could have housed them at the local armory, and she wouldn't have been killed with the same gun that was used on all those children and teachers at Sandy Hook. And Lanza himself could have been intercepted and possibly given the therapy he needed to get past his rage and live a fairly normal life.
Some of you asked what sort of gun-control initiatives I'd support, and this would be at the top of my list. That way, everyone has a secure place for their weapons, the local government gets much-needed funds, and we don't have to deal with so many shootings resulting from madmen stealing guns.
Your thoughts?
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