Authorities have not revealed the specific type of gun or guns used by the shooter, although they believe he purchased them legally.
- You don't need a permit to buy a gun, nor are you required to get a license or register a firearm. There's no limit on the number of guns a person can buy at one time.
- Carrying an unconcealed firearm in public is legal.
- There is no mandated waiting period before buying a gun.
- You can bring a gun to a polling place, to a casino and to a bar.
- You cannot bring a gun to a school or a university campus.
- Nevada voters passed a ballot measure last year requiring a background check for firearm transactions between private parties. But the state attorney general put it on hold, saying it wasn't enforceable.
The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a gun-control advocacy group that tracks firearms legislation,
gives Nevada a grade of C- on its gun laws -- lower than more restrictive states such as California or Massachusetts but higher than 25 states that scored an F.According to
a Pew survey conducted in March and April, 83% of American adults said they consider gun violence in the US a big problem. But far fewer, 47%, say there would be fewer mass shootings in the US if it were harder for people to legally obtain guns.
Support for stricter gun laws often spikes temporarily following mass shootings.