A hair-raising incident occurred last Saturday when previous President Donald Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt during a political rally in Pennsylvania. The failed venture ended in tragedy for a bystander who lost their life, while two others sustained severe injuries. The dire event was confirmed by the Secret Service. Widely popular news outlet USA TODAY shared that Federal Bureau of Investigation pinpointed the instrument used in this attempt as an AR-15-style rifle, wielded by a 20-year-old man, identified as Thomas Matthew Crook.
On Sunday, CNN revealed that Crook, who did not carry identification, was recognized through the firearm he employed. Unfortunately, he was killed at the scene itself. The gun in question, the AR-15, is a semi-automatic or self-loading firearm. Its nickname ‘America’s rifle,’ coined by the NRA, reflects its ubiquity across the country with an estimated 15 million sold by 2019. The term ‘semi-automatic’ implies that the weapon user needs to engage the trigger for each shot, post which the rifle reloads automatically.
Renowned for its usage in marksmanship competitions, training, and home defense, AR-15s are prevalent firearms. The Washington Post conducted an investigation in 2023 and discovered that about 1 AR-15 was owned by every 20 U.S. adults. More alarmingly, they found that the weapon was involved in at least 10 out of the 17 most fatal mass shootings in America.
The AR-15 is not exclusive to a particular model, but rather it is a style of firearm. It’s the civilian product line variation of the ArmaLite AR-15, a version of the AR-10 innovated by Eugene Stoner in the 1950s. Its attractive traits include being unusually lightweight, requiring straightforward maintenance, and offering high adaptability. Originally, the patent for this rifle design was owned by ArmaLite, who sold it to Colt in the 1960s. Later, Colt transformed this mechanical marvel into an automatic-fire edition for the military, the iconic M16.
Post expiration of Colt’s patent, other manufacturers embarked on the journey of developing their variations of this firearm. The acronym ‘AR’ stands for ‘ArmaLite Rifle,’ reflecting the name of the company that first conceived this brand of firearm. Misinterpretations of the acronym being ‘assault rifle’ or ‘automatic rifle’ are incorrect.
There is an ongoing debate about the definition of an assault rifle. In the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the federal government included particular models as assault weapons if they contained specific features. For semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15, this meant the ability to take detachable magazines and at least two features such as a folding or telescopic stock, pistol grip, bayonet mount, flash suppressor, or a grenade launcher.
The term ‘assault rifle’ has frequently been used by the federal government to describe military-style weapons, being either semi-automatic or fully automatic, and capable of firing multiple rounds. But, pro-gun advocates and the gun industry suggest that ‘assault rifle’ should be reserved for military firearms that are fully automatic or possess the functionality to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic. They argue that the aspects listed in the federal Assault Weapons Ban are merely cosmetic in nature.
The NSSF, the Firearm Industry Trade Association, notes that ‘AR-15-style rifles can resemble military rifles, such as the M-16, but they operate like other semiautomatic civilian sporting firearms, firing only one round with each trigger pull.’ Therefore, they label the AR-15 as a ‘modern sporting rifle’ or MSR.
AR-15 rifles, despite their conception, are not machine guns. Nevertheless, their operation can mimic an automatic rifle through modification with a ‘bump stock.’ Bump stocks are replacement stocks capable of utilizing weapon recoil to stimulate the trigger at a faster rate than the shooter could manage otherwise.
The AR-15 entices with its light weight, durability, accuracy, and minimal recoil. Its accessible modification options, allowing plenty of accessories to enhance its precision, comfort, and personalization, draw enthusiasts—which might explain why the NRA dubs it ‘customizable, adaptable, reliable, and accurate.’ The versatile AR-15 is applicable for ‘sport shooting, hunting, and self-defense situations.’
AR-15s are available for prices ranging from $400 to $2,000. Being produced by nearly every major gun manufacturer, they are widely accessible. Add to that the inexpensive, bulk-buyable ammunition and interchangeable magazines, and it’s easy to see why these rifles are popular.
Unfortunately, the AR-15’s appeal extends to its lethality as well. Designed for ‘maximum wound effect’ by its architects, the AR-15 fires rounds at a considerably high muzzle velocity, causing severe damage to internal organs and bones. AR-15 ammunition tends to fragment within the body, escalating injury severity. Without modifications such as a bump stock, an AR-15 can discharge about 60 rounds per minute. A standard 30-round magazine can be swapped out for a drum holding up to 100 rounds in a matter of seconds. Some states cap magazine capacity at 10 or 15 rounds.
On the dreaded day, Crook targeted Trump from a building rooftop at a distance of about 150 yards from the podium. Close, but it wasn’t an AR-15 that was used in the mass-shooting carnage at an Orlando nightclub. It was a Sig Sauer MCX and a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol used by a 29-year-old man. On the other hand, the AR-15 was indeed the weapon chosen by the 19-year-old who took 17 lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, leading to increased gun control measures in the state. As a consequence, AR-15s became legal for Florida adults aged 21 and over—who are legally permitted to own firearms, without needing a state permit.
Former President Donald Trump Targeted in Failed Assassination Using AR-15 Rifle appeared first on Real News Now.
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