As if America hadn't had enough firearm-induced horror for one mid-December weekend, police in Newport Beach, Calif. arrested 42-year-old Marco Gurrola in a shopping mall parking lot after he apparently fired off more than 50 rounds from a handgun Saturday evening. Though the mall was crowded (because December is the month Americans collectively worship our free market, consumer economy with weekend mall pilgrimages), police determined after a search of the parking lot and adjoining Macy's that no one was injured.
Shoppers at Fashion Island were understandably terrified when the shooting began, because, if firearms weren't scary enough on their own, the horrifying school shooting in Newtown, Conn. on Friday was fresh in everyone's mind. According to Deputy Chief David McGill of the Newport Beach Police, more than 50 rounds were recovered at the scene, though investigators have not released any details about the weapon, so there's no telling yet if the weapon was legal or if it violated California's 2000-banning of handgun magazines that hold more than 19 bullets. As any second-amendment proponent will gleefully tell you, however, guns don't kill people — people kill people. Guns just make it all sickeningly easy.
More than 50 shots fired at Fashion Island mall; suspect held [LA Times]