Addressing the Other Shootings

If you're not living under a rock, you've heard about the shooting in Orlando. I've seen a lot of debates about the guns involved, the motive to shoot at a gay night club, and how easy it is to purchase a weapon of that caliber. I want to give my two cents.
As some of you probably know, I grew up on the good side of the tracks. I lived in a safe home with an alarm system, in a safe neighborhood with kind neighbors. I lived in a strongly pro-gun Republican state, and I dwelled in a place where it was the law to own a gun. Yes, if you don't believe me, look up Kennesaw, GA. Growing up, I never knew anyone who got shot. The only shootings I saw were on TV. Those shootings impacted someone else's loved one, friend, coworker. Where I grew up, people just had guns to protect themselves, right?
I now live in the heart of downtown Lexington, KY. My motive to write this post was the following circumstance tonight: I was cooking dinner in my kitchen. I heard, well within earshot, a gun fire. Then another shot. Then another. I waited. I counted. Ten minutes later I heard the sirens. Ten. I don't know if that's a long time to be waiting with a bullet in your chest, but for me that's ten minutes too long. This happens almost weekly. Do I get scared? Yes! I like to joke about it with my roommate, but the truth is, its quite terrifying. Would owning a gun make me feel safer? I don't know. Students on my campus have been shot and killed. UK has, by national rankings, a safe campus. Yet it had three homicides this year before January was over.
I'm not saying I condone owning guns, I'm also not saying I don't. What I'm saying is these guns are out on the streets, and if the wrong person gets ahold of one, even the most innocent lives are at risk.