...initiative could have stopped the shooting at the school in Georgia?
The facts are:
The shooter was a convicted felon.
The shooter was mentally ill.
The crime scene was a gun free zone.
The firearm was stolen.
Lets' take them one at a time:
The shooter was a convicted felon. Laws which restrict felons from owning, possessing or having a firearm in their custody or control would not have prevented the crime in question, since the weapon was stolen. However, had the felon been stopped and the weapon had been found he would receive a mandatory commitment to the State Prison for possession of stolen property and that sentence would be enhanced by his possession of a firearm.
The shooter was mentally ill. Laws which restrict the mentally ill from owning, possessing, etc a firearm are ineffectual do to HIPAA privacy restrictions. If I had my way anyone detained as a danger to themselves or others in a locked psychiatric facility should be flagged in the criminal records of the state and reflect their lack of eligibility without reason to licensed gun purveyors.
I also support laws to deny the right to own, possess, etc. a firearm to anyone convicted of DUI, domestic violence, battery with GBI, sales or transportation of drugs.
Gun Free Zone Again, a Gun Free Zone won't prevent a crime, but anyone in possession, etc. of a firearm within such a zone gets sent to jail. No ifs, ands or buts, a jail sentence is mandatory.
Stolen Firearm When the legal owner of the gun was careless I support holding him/her civilly culpable if that stolen gun is used in a crime.
No laws will prevent wanton violence. The proliferation of guns allows felons, the mentally ill and persons with a violent history easy access.