Does it matter? For the purpose of solution, anyway?
I think it does matter. Guns are part of the equation, but something has changed that is causing people do this stuff. Without a Constitutional amendment, there will be guns in this country, so you have to do your best to fix it from both sides. One side of the equation is hard due to constitutional protection, the other side is easier. It needs to be a combined approach. When assault weapons truly account for so little death, their bans won't do much towards a real solution. Handguns are the real threat, but not even dems want to try to ban them, and probably can't based on Heller/Bruen.
When there is a shooting, while always horrible, I can at least somewhat understand when a shooter has a "reason" for going after the victims, even if abhorrent and not based on reason or reality. Examples are people getting fired, left by companion, etc. At least in those cases, there is a reason.
When an adult goes and shoots up a school of kids, or randomly shoots up a concert, or mall, we have to figure out what is causing people to go off the rail like this for no apparent reason. Because if you only get rid of guns, there will still be knives and 8,000 lb trucks, gasoline, homemade bombs and SUVs to take people out. Seriously, what the **** is wrong with people in our society?
Until there is a real solution, I'd like to see more protection in schools. Maybe not metal detectors as I don't want any kid to feel like they are "institutionalized", but maybe reinforced doors with bullet proof glass, doors that actually stay locked from the outside and more resource officers at the schools.
We put more armed guards on our politicians than we do our own kids. The Nashville shooter allegedly skipped her first intended target as it had armed security and went to her old school which was vulnerable. Gun-free zones seem to have the opposite of the intended effect. It seems like schools are often preferred targets as they are gun-free zones without security.
At the same time, spend money on mental health. Require mental health and background check screenings for every gun purchase, and have those checks be recurring (not just when you buy the gun). And punish straw buyers or gun owners that don't secure their guns, which then get used in mass shootings with heavy jail sentences.