MASS MURDER WEAPON OF CHOICE

The weapon of choice of mass murderers is clearly a semi-automatic, probably with a large clip of ammunition although they may have multipleweapons.  The Aurora, CO, movie theater gunman used a semi-automatic rifle with a large magazine that jammed or the killings would have been worse, and he also had a semi-automatic pistol.*  As it was 12 people died.  The Wisconsin Sikh Temple shooter used a legally bought semi-automatic pistol and 6 were killed with two others seriously wounded.** The Oregon mall murderer also used a semi-automatic rifle (stolen) that jammed though he got it unjammed - two dead, one seriously wounded.***  The Newtown, CT, murderer used a semi-automatic rife with a large clip stolen from his mother (whom he killed).****  It did not jam and 20 first graders and six school officials were killed.

Incidentally, even in the Columbine, CO, shooting, a semiautomatic weapon was used among other weapons (http://acolumbinesite.com/weapon.html).

Although the outlawing semi-automatic weapons might not reduce the number of mass murder events, it might reduce the size of the killings and woundings.

*  http://www.ibtimes.com/colorado-shooter-what-kind-weapons-did-he-have-729953
** http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/06/us/wisconsin-temple-shooting/index.html; http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/07/us-usa-wisconsin-shooting-weapon-idUSBRE87606820120807
***  http://news.yahoo.com/police-ore-mall-shooter-used-stolen-rifle-181931596.html
****  http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/12/newtown-connecticut-school-shooting/59999/