# Young voters fear mass shootings but split on gun control

> Young voters fear mass shootings but split on gun control.
- Title: Young voters fear mass shootings but split on gun control
- Summary: Young voters fear mass shootings but split on gun control. young voters, mass shootings, gun control · reported by The Conversation.
- Keywords: young voters, mass shootings, gun control, oregon, midterm elections, parkland school shooting, march for our lives, gen z, columbine shooting, 2026 midterm elections, science, ideas
- Source: The Conversation — https://theconversation.com/young-voters-fear-mass-shootings-like-the-one-in-oregon-but-that-fear-divides-them-on-gun-control-294620
- Author: Jillian Turanovic
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: young voters, mass shootings, gun control, oregon, midterm elections, parkland school shooting, march for our lives, gen z, columbine shooting, 2026 midterm elections, science, ideas
## Bend school shooting
A gunman killed three children and a teacher at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon on Oct. 15, 2026.
## Oregon gun laws stalled
Oregon has stricter gun laws than most states but some laws like tougher background checks are stalled in court.
## Midterm elections near
The Bend shooting occurs weeks before midterm elections where voters choose lawmakers who shape gun laws.
## Young voters eligible
Nearly 50 million Americans ages 18 to 29 are eligible to vote in upcoming midterm elections with 60% planning to participate.
## Mass shootings in young lives
Young adults have survived two mass shootings before age 25 in some cases.
## Massacre generation
Young adults grew up in the post-9/11, post-Columbine era with routine lockdown drills and nonstop media coverage of mass violence.
## Fear divides young voters
Young adults who fear mass shootings more support gun control while young men and conservatives oppose it.
## State gun policy votes
Massachusetts and Arkansas voters will decide gun policy in upcoming elections.
## Young voters split on gun control
Most young adults share fear of mass shootings but disagree on gun control solutions.
## What happens next
With each new mass shooting, young voters’ divide on gun control may deepen.
## Key takeaway

Young voters fear mass shootings but split on gun control.