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No.
Five mass shootings with AR-15-style rifles preceded the Maine mass shooting in 2023.
According to Mother Jones’ database, AR-15-style rifles were used in these mass shootings:
Dollar Store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Aug. 26 (three fatalities).
Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood on July 3 (five fatalities).
Farmington, New Mexico, neighborhood on May 15 (three fatalities).
Shopping mall in Allen, Texas, on May 6 (eight fatalities).
Louisville, Kentucky, bank on April 10 (five fatalities).
The shooting in Lewiston, Maine, occurred Oct. 25. A gunman using a semiautomatic assault rifle-style weapon killed 18 people and wounded 13.
A semiautomatic rifle requires a separate pull of the trigger to fire each cartridge. The AR-15 is a semiautomatic rifle intended for military use.
U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, reversed his position and said after the Maine shootings he supports a ban on assault-style rifles. President Joe Biden repeated his call for legislation banning such weapons.
This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Mother Jones: US Mass Shootings, 1982–2023: Data From Mother Jones’ Investigation
NBC News: At least 18 killed in shootings in Lewiston: What we know so far
U.S. Dept. of Justice: 27 CFR § 478.11
The Trace: What Is an AR-15 Rifle, Exactly?
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