But I do want to bring up what may be a valid point. If you were to take a major US city, a city that a non American might have heard of, and look at the shootings data and compared that to mass shootings, I believe (I haven't checked) that the numbers would show handguns are much more dangerous. Let me explain/ qualify that. I believe a person in a place in the US has a much higher chance of getting shot by a handgun than any kind of rifle. I understand that's not the current conversation. But in a week when this fades, I know I'll turn on the news and see 3 more people shot with handguns just in my fair town.
You're right in the fact that there can be legitimate uses for hunting rifles, but hand guns are basically designed for use on people. Sure you can use them only at ranges, and keep them in a safe, but even if you buy one for self defense, your intended target if it ever comes to that --- is a person!!! There's also there pervasity (not a word but makes more sense than pervasiveness) of them.
On the flip side. Apart from the heinousness of it all, the thing is mass shootings with assault weapons (of war) basically turn completely random, very innocent people into nothing but targets, which everyone watching can identify intensely with the victims. That could've been me. I didn't deserve that. They didn't deserve that. Handguns, apart from not being reported, often have a specific target (usually self or dearest and dearest), and sad as it is, and wrong as it is, there is a reason for pulling the trigger and it isn't random target practice. Not saying its right at all, just why, apart from the scale of it all, why mass shootings resonate with everyone (including unfortunately the next fuckwit homicidal maniac).
So not sure if it was clear or not, but agree with what you were saying.