sunnykerr

Well, what I've read online so far is that people tend to think the guns weren't the issue here, the mental illness was.

And, obviously, they have a point.

The fact that no one seems troubled by the fact that he managed to buy a shotgun on an invalid gun licence (which is why he couldn't buy a different kind of gun) and an out-of-state address is completely bizarre to me.

Sure, mental illness was obviously at play here. And, for sure, that should be part of the conversation because the United States (no more than Canada) has a bad record when it comes to addressing mental health issues, especially in veterans.

But I think, as you rightly point out, access to guns and to that specific area were both crucial in the creation of this tragedy.

He could have been as mentally ill as it gets, if he hadn't been able to buy a weapon and ammunition, and then access the Navy Yard, the story would have had a completely different ending.