In the wake of recent events, the topic of gun violence in the U.S. has risen again. 

On Wednesday, Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of right-wing group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University. Just minutes later, one state over, a school shooting occurred at Evergreen High School in Colorado, injuring two students, with one in critical condition. 

The two simultaneous events have sparked multiple discussions regarding gun violence and Second Amendment rights. Even Kirk’s last words were on the topic of gun violence. 

“What happened to Charlie Kirk was an act of political violence,” said Noah Heryford, a student at Clovis Community College. “Ironically at the same time, a school with children got shot [up] and I think people realize that this is a human issue.” 

According to CNN, there have been 47 school shootings in the United States in 2025 so far. Half were on college campuses, while the other half occurred in K-12 schools. 

On a broader scale, there have been 16,756 gun-related deaths (not counting suicide) in the U.S. just last year. 

After hearing of Kirk’s death, some legislators, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, advocated for a change in legislation. 

“Are we going to do something, or are we going to argue over rhetoric? That is my question about this,” Ocasio-Cortez said outside the U.S. Capitol. “We have to pass gun safety legislation and stop this.”

Passing gun safety legislation is possible, considering the 1994 Crime Bill that included an assault weapons ban. This bill was passed under the Clinton administration, and it banned the manufacturing and selling of assault weapons. The firearm homicide rate dropped by 49%, but rose again after the ban expired in 2004. 

While there has been no nationwide ban on assault weapons since 2004, 11 states have banned assault weapons, including California, Illinois and New York. According to the Pew Research Center, the states that have banned assault weapons have some of the lowest gun-related death rates in the country. 

While gun-related deaths in the U.S. have decreased over the years, the advocacy for nationwide gun restriction legislation is ever-present, with 58% of Americans favoring stricter gun laws. 

Josslyn Caskey, a junior at Fresno State, favors more gun reform legislation.

“I definitely think that we need more gun violence, more regulations,” Caskey said. “Not saying we need to take everything away, that is our freedom and our right … we have to have some sort of control.”

The latest gun reform legislation that has been passed is the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was passed in 2022. The bill mandates enhanced background checks on firearm purchases for those who are under 21. Since then, around 800 firearm purchases have been prevented due to extensive background checks. 

Even with Donald Trump’s assassination attempt and Kirk’s assassination, Republican lawmakers have been wary of introducing any gun reform legislation. 

“I don’t really see [Republicans] changing their viewpoints in that because I think that they are so deeply rooted and funded by people who believe so strongly of the Second Amendment,” Heryford said. “I don’t see the NRA [National Rifle Association] changing their stance on anything.” 

Heryford also said he thinks that the midterms in 2026 will see more gun reform legislation advocacy. 

As the debate around gun reform legislation continues, it is unlikely that the House will pass any type of gun reform legislation before the midterms.