“The gun fired at Donald Trump on Saturday, the AR-15, is the most popular rifle in America. But it rarely has been used by snipers because of its limited range and relatively small bullet,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The gun’s popular qualities—a lightweight profile, easy handling and ability to shoot lots of bullets quickly—have made it a blockbuster. The number of ARs in civilian hands rose from 400,000 in the early 1990s to more than 20 million by the 2020s.”
“Those same qualities have also made it easy for disturbed people and political extremists to wreak havoc in mass shootings at schools, movie theaters, concerts, government offices, grocery stores—anywhere Americans gather.”
