South Korean immigrant in New York City killed for iPhone

I am a believer in the purpose of the Second Amendment — that part of the Constitution that says something about a well regulated militia and the right to bear arms — but I can see why so many of my Korean and Japanese friends here in the United States are quite perplexed about the proliferation of guns and the frequency of their use. It really does seem like it's run amuck.

About a week ago, not far from where I live, they had to lock down an elementary school and some housing complexes because a suicidal guy with a gun had been walking up and down the street (and then couldn't be found). A few months back, at an intersection I go through frequently and where I'd been just half an hour earlier, a gunman went up to a car waiting for the traffic light at about 12:30 a.m. and shot the two people in the car — random strangers — killing one and severely injuring the other. This led to a police chase on Interstate H1 that ended in his capture (I think).

Sure, Korea and Japan have murders occurring as well, but would someone like One Goh or Cho Seunghui be able to get so many weapons and shoot at so many people? It does see as if we fail to enforce the laws we do have on the books (how could Cho, who had mental issues, get guns through mail order?) and we have too many loopholes to begin with (unregistered sales at gun shows without background checks, for example).

I really have no defense when something like this happens. This guy, Kwangbum Yang (양광범), had immigrated to the United States and had a job working at the Metropolitan Museum as a cook, while he aspired to rise up the ranks of the culinary arts to be a great chef.

And now he's dead. Shot by someone who took his iPhone and then jumped in a waiting minivan. Would it have even occurred to Mr Lee that he should be packing because others are packing? Really, is this any way to live?

Requiescat in pace, Mr Yang.

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