Letter: Ban weapons like one used to slaugh..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

According to the Connecticut medical examiner, Adam Lanza used a .223 Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle to massacre 20 innocent children. This type of modified civilian version of a military assault rifle has a legacy of death and slaughter.

I can't comprehend why they are not made illegal to either purchase or possess. They have only one purpose that I can see and that is to kill people. I cannot be convinced by any logic what possible utility they may have in the civilian population.

Shame on Congress for not renewing the ban on assault rifles years ago. Shame even more if action is not taken to immediately ban these pernicious weapons. It's not the only answer in preventing such tragedies, but it's a good start.

John T. Nielsen

Cottonwood Heights

Letter: Ban weapons like one used to slaughter 20 children