Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who is an officer in the Air National Guard, came out in support Monday of raising the minimum age to buy a firearm to 21. His change in stance comes after two mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.
Acknowledging his stance is “controversial,” Kinzinger said the issue is “too important to shy away from any longer.”
We mourn with El Paso & Dayton, and stand united against this hatred. We need to recognize evil is real, and take steps to mitigate such horrific acts of domestic terrorism with changes that still preserve our rights. My thoughts on how are here @Medium: https://t.co/fBT2DcikZA
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) August 5, 2019
“In the 1980s, the United States enforced 21 as the age to consume alcohol and today, authorities are on the verge of making 21 the age for purchasing tobacco products. I have my disagreements with some of that rational, but I think in the case of gun purchases, there is significant merit in raising the age limit,” he said.
Federal law states 18-year-olds can buy rifles and shotguns but can only buy handguns after reaching 21. Some states have already changed their laws to raise the age to buy guns to 21.
“However, this provision has allowed many legal purchases of semi-automatic rifles by soon-to-be mass shooters,” the Illinois congressman explained “Particularly in school shootings, the assassins are often enrolled in the school, recently graduated, or expelled. In some cases, a grudge is carried out with legally purchased weapons. An adolescent, high school fueled grudge is much less likely to survive over the three years between the end of high school and the time of legal age of purchase.”
Kinzinger said those who are under 21 that are serving in the military “can still use arms assigned to them, as those under age 21 who carry pistols as part of their job still legally do.”
Between the two mass shootings over the weekend, over 30 people were killed in less than 24 hours. The El Paso shooter used an AK-style rifle, while the Dayton shooter used an AR-15-type rifle.
