Gun Control

A House bill that would have allowed people to carry concealed handguns without a permit passed two committees in the past week. But it was later removed from the House’s floor calendar without a vote.

The effort is backed by gun-rights advocates who already celebrated weeks ago when the Republican-controlled General Assembly repealed another kind of permit issued by sheriffs before someone could buy a pistol. Gun-control advocates said ending the mandate would result in higher rates of violent crime and homicide.

Some proposals would require background checks for all gun sales, prohibit people under 21 from owning assault-style weapons and create legal process for so-called “red-flag” orders. Republicans are expected again to bottle up bills.

The address followed recent mass shootings in New York, Texas and Oklahoma. Biden said the measures aren't about taking away rights, but about protecting Americans.

The death of children, shot at school, is hard to comprehend. It can be even harder for kids. Counselors say parents should take cues from their kids, listen to their fears and answer their questions.

In June 2021, New York police sent the suspect to a hospital for an evaluation after he made a threat at his school. Then, he fell off of law enforcement's radar and bought a rifle earlier this year.

The elementary school shooting left 20 students and six adults dead. The settlement is thought to be first of its kind, awarding major damages against a U.S. gun manufacturer based on a mass shooting.

In a year that opened with two school shootings, North Carolina officials and national anti-violence experts spoke to a safe schools task force about reducing gun violence.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed a bill that would do away with the permit someone must obtain from a county sheriff before buying a pistol. Cooper's veto on Monday was expected. He says gun-permit laws reduce deaths and the availability of guns to commit crimes.

North Carolina’s long practice of county sheriffs granting permits to local residents before they can buy a handgun would end under legislation approved by the state House. The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association backed the pistol purchase permit repeal.