Three University of Virginia students were fatally shot on a campus bus, sparking a campus lockdown and manhunt. This incident, the 598th mass shooting in 2022, highlights the ongoing debate surrounding gun control. The author, an anti-gun activist, recounts a meeting with Senator Ted Cruz where victims' families pleaded for a federal assault weapons ban, a request Cruz did not support. The author argues that readily available assault weapons are the root cause of such tragedies, citing statistics demonstrating a decrease in mass shootings during the previous assault weapons ban. They urge readers to contact their senators to support a ban.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.