The dad of a schoolgirl killed in the Dunblane massacre has called on America to finally tighten gun laws in the wake of the latest mass shooting.
Dr Mick North, who lost his daughter Sophie in the March 1996 tragedy, was shocked to learn of the death of 19 children and two teachers last week at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
He told the Sunday Mail : “It was no surprise to me that it happened again. The attitude in America seem to be to blame everything and everyone but the guns.
“You even have some saying there should be more guns.
“This has gone too far and now is the time for tougher controls.
“The Americans must look at what has been achieved elsewhere in Canada, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.
“Other countries change things for the better following massacres in their own schools. There is no reason why the Americans can’t do the same.”
The 16 pupils at Dunblane Primary, including five-year-old Sophie, were killed along with their teacher Gwen Mayor when Thomas Hamilton, 43, opened fire on a gym class before taking his own life.
Following the tragedy, Dr North successfully campaigned for tougher gun laws in Britain, including a ban on owning handguns, and is a founder member of the Gun Control Network.
He doesn’t understand the US love affair with the gun and their attachment to the Second Amendment, which gives them the right to bear arms.
Dr North added: “I know that gun control save lives.These laws were written when there wasn’t the guns you have now – the awful assault rifles that an 18-year-old can buy.
“It’s perverse that so many cling to words written more than 250 years ago as if they applied to every and any situation that has resulted since.
“I’ve been telling the Americans since the late 1990s, after every school shooting, that if they tighten up their gun legislation then things will improve as they have done in Britain.
“Too many powerful people who could effect change do not want to know. The gun lobby is very powerful and very rich and has a huge influence over gun policy in the USA.”
Dr North was invited to Baltimore within weeks of the Sandy Hook school massacre in 2012, where 26 were killed, to speak at a conference. He says there was talk of of new controls then but nothing happened.
Dr North added: “The vast majority of Americans I meet want gun controls. There are good people out there trying to change things but they are banging their heads against a brick wall.
“You cannot blame mental health problems for the fact that gun violence is 100 times bigger there than here.”
Salvador Ramos, 18, opened fire on his victims after crashing his car near the school on Tuesday.
About 75 minutes after the attack began, a tactical unit entered a classroom and killed Ramos.
Police have been criticised for their response to the tragedy and have admitted mistakes were made.
President Joe Biden and wife Jill are to travel to Uvalde today.
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