Guns are one of the leading causes of death, causing over thirty-three thousand annual deaths in the U.S. There are many incidents in which guns can be hazardous, especially if a minor gets their hands on one. Guns are meant to be a means of self-defense, but many have misused this privilege. Tragic mass-shootings occur each and every year, separating families and friends. Gun ownership should be more tightly controlled because they can cause school shootings, and minors can gain access to these weapons.

One reason that gun ownership should be more tightly controlled is school shootings. The first ever school shooting was in 1853, happening almost over 165 years ago. School shootings are tragic events that sadly occur often. These shootings separate families and endanger the reputation of the shooter for the rest of his or her life. Statistics show that nearly 187,000 children have been exposed to gun violence, especially in school incidents. These shootings, or even just threats, leave children traumatized and can affect the mental health of minors. Conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder can occur from gun violence geared toward minors. For these reasons, guns should be controlled more tightly because school shootings can occur.
Another reason that gun ownership should be more tightly controlled is minors gaining access to guns. Many dangerous things can happen if minors get their hands on a gun. Things such as school shootings, robbery, and malfunctioning guns can result from guns handled by minors. If a minor ends up committing a crime with the firearm, he or she could end up ruining their reputation and going to jail. This will make it difficult for the minor to get into many schools and different programs, therefore putting stress on the minor and the parent. In addition, if a minor is left unattended with a firearm, multiple things could occur. There are instances where children have accidentally shot themselves or family members because they do not understand the concept of a gun or how it works. For these reasons, gun ownership should be more tightly controlled because minors can end up gaining access to a firearm.

Some people might argue that guns are a part of self-defense. Also, guns give you the ability to protect yourself in dangerous situations when guns would be necessary for defense. On the other hand, gun control can get out of hand if too many people feel the need to protect themselves. People may use guns for self-defense, but can easily be persuaded to use them for other reasons. People who own guns might decide to use firearms to commit crimes if they are in desperate times of need. Therefore, even though some people may say that guns are necessary for defense, there are much more serious reasons that outweigh this argument.

School shootings and minors gaining access to guns are a few reasons why gun ownership should be more tightly controlled. School shootings occur frequently today and have taken away the lives of many people. This fatal weapon can be life-corrupting by ruining the reputations of those who make the wrong decisions when using them. One way that this problem can be rectified is doing background checks on anyone looking to buy a firearm. These background checks will ensure that anyone who could potentially have their hands on a gun will not be likely to commit a crime. There can also be more strict punishments for those using a gun without permission. Strict punishments will intimidate the users enough that they hopefully will not commit any crime or even own a gun in the first place. Even though guns are potentially harmful, the problem can be easily fixed by tightening control over the ownership of them.