Apr. 1—How close is Indiana to having a mass shooting like the one at Covenant School in Nashville?

Well, the Hoosier state did suffer a horrific and deadly attack in April 2021, when a gunman bearing two assault rifles opened fire at a FedEx facility plant in Indianapolis, killing eight. The gunman had purchased his weapons legally in Indiana.

Since then, Indiana, like Tennessee, has eased, rather than tightened, restrictions on gun ownership.

The 28-year-old who killed three children and three adults in Nashville had legally purchased seven guns, including an AR-15 that was recovered at the scene along with a Kel-Tec SUB 2000 and a handgun.

Neither Tennessee nor Indiana has a ban on assault weapons. That alone should lead legislators to prohibit such weapons in Indiana. No citizen needs such a killing machine. Two efforts this legislative session to ban assault weapons in Indiana have died in committee.

The Giffords Law Center has reported that during the 10-year period when the federal assault weapons ban of 1994 was in effect, mass shooting fatalities were 70% less likely to occur compared to the periods before and after.

Studies also suggest that state-level assault weapons bans help to prevent mass shooting deaths, the law center named for former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords found.

Under Indiana law, handguns, shotguns and rifles are allowed in the vehicles of all adults who have not been deemed an "improper person" by the state. An improper person could have a felony conviction, domestic violence offense or a dangerous mental illness, among other characteristics.

A person must be deemed to have a mental illness by a court or lawful authority. No such legal determination, as of yet, has been found against the Nashville shooter.

Indiana does have a "red flag" law. Once a person is deemed dangerous to themselves or others, they cannot possess, own, rent, buy or sell a firearm. For the first half of 2021, there were 174 cases in 32 counties where courts were petitioned to approve confiscation of weapons. In those cases, 338 weapons were seized. Thirty-one were later returned.

The law's enforcement varies among counties.

Tennessee enacted a law in July 2021 to allow the permit-less carry of handguns, both concealed and unconcealed, for anyone over the age of 21.

Indiana did the same, effective July 1, 2022, where no permit or license is necessary to carry a handgun, a shotgun or rifle.

The Tennessee General Assembly is considering a bill that would authorize a faculty or staff member to carry a concealed handgun on school grounds.

Indiana already allows that.

In short, there is little difference between firearm regulations in Tennessee and Indiana.

The Indiana General Assembly should tackle the prohibition of assault weapons and more uniform administration of red flag laws.

Tennessee laws didn't stop the Nashville shooter. In a similar case, neither would Indiana laws.