Radicalized terrorist stages mass murder attack in Norway...with a crossbow

The Associated Press reported recently that a 37-year-old Danish citizen, who police say had been radicalized as a Muslim, carried out a mass murder attack on the streets of his city, killing five and wounding three more.

The man did not commit his act of terror with a firearm, but rather by using a crossbow.

From the article:

Witnesses said their quiet neighborhood of wooden houses and birch trees was turned into a scene of terrifying cries and turmoil.

“The screaming was so intense and horrifying there was never any doubt something very serious was going on,” said Kurt Einar Voldseth, who had returned home from an errand when he heard the commotion. “I can only describe it as a ‘death scream,’ and it burned into my mind.”

Four women and a man between the ages of 50 and 70 were killed, and three other people were wounded, police said.

Andersen Braathen is being held on preliminary charges and will face a custody hearing Friday. Police said they believe he acted alone.

“The whole act appears to be an act of terror,” said Hans Sverre Sjoevold, head of Norway’s domestic intelligence service, known as the PST.

Firearms ownership in Norway is heavily regulated. Firearms ownership is only allowed if a citizen has officially documented a use for the gun. Legal uses include hunting and sport shooting. To obtain a hunting license, a prospective gun owner must complete a 30-hour, 9-session course and pass a written exam. For sport shooting, the applicant must complete in a firearm safety course lasting at least 9 hours.

Short of just banning firearms altogether, these are the exact types of laws anti-Second Amendment extremists claim we must pass here in the United States if we desire to prevent mass killings. And yet, as is proved time and time again (such as a recent knife attack in China that took six lives and injured 14 others), the problem isn't the tool, it's the person who turns it into a weapon.

No amount of gun control laws will stop a determined person with a desire to kill. That is why the Constitution of the United States recognizes the God-given right to bear arms, to give citizens the ability to defend themselves.

Chad D. Baus served as Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary from 2013-2019, and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website, and is also an NRA-certified firearms instructor.