The police had handguns, rifles (but kept locked in their trunks) and were attacked with automatics they weren't prepared for and I saw the results on the news later. It was a bloodbath. I think some men and woman officer were killed or badly shot. They were in no way prepared to deal with what was on the street that day.
I'm not sure where the weaponry the robbers had came from, but it was a wake up call. Since the Brady bill or whatever it was expired or was repealed (sorry, this is something I don't keep track of) there were changes and people began getting more military style weapons - the kind the police didn't have.
It was about that time there were more kinds of 'non-lethal' weapons making the news, and people were buying them too. Pepper spray, tazers, etc. I'm not sure when the gates opened up and people starting buying the ones we see in these recent killing sprees. It's tit for tat. I think the escalation was from the public, and the gun manufacturers. There were stories of attempts to ban some kinds of bullets that went thorugh police vests, etc. And when we see these news stories of crimes going on that I've seen in DU - people are freaked out anyway.
I won't get into a debate on the terms for these guns, or the definitions. I don't care - I'm not in gun school. Not interested.
I don't believe the police started this; but damned if the munitions and arms makers didn't escalate it all for profit. And DHS saw a way to make a killing off contracts. We are awash with guns like a war zone.
I want this to back up as soon as it can.
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