Thread by @MotherJones

1/ The shooting in Las Vegas was one of the deadliest in history. More than 50 people were killed and 500+ injured. motherjones.com/politics/2017/…

2/ Sadly, this isn’t new. We’ve spent the last 5 years chronicling and investigating gun violence in the US.
motherjones.com/politics/2012/…

3/ We created the first open-source database tracking mass shootings in America. motherjones.com/politics/2012/…

4/ We looked at 30 years of data—and found that most mass shooters got their guns legally. motherjones.com/politics/2012/…

5/ We've also studied the five years since, and found that the trend hasn't changed.

6/ But: we've found that more and more shooters are now using military-style guns, making attacks even deadlier. motherjones.com/politics/2016/…

7/ Yet the gun lobby has only become more powerful, investing millions of dollars into pushing their agenda. motherjones.com/politics/2013/…

8/ In 2012, we investigated the cost of gun violence. A single gun homicide in America costs taxpayers on average more than $400,000 a year.

9/ We also spoke to many survivors whose lives were shattered by gun violence.

10/ We talked to a mother whose daughter was killed in a shooting—& was forced to pay the gun dealer’s legal fees.
motherjones.com/politics/2017/…

11/ Meanwhile, definitions matter—and hyping the number of “mass shootings” stirs undue fear. motherjones.com/politics/2015/…

12/ As MoJo’s @markfollman has reported: It's a myth that nothing can be done to prevent mass shootings. motherjones.com/politics/2015/…

13/ Most mass shootings are planned in advance. motherjones.com/politics/2015/…