Wackos shooting innocent people again

So today another person went on a shooting spree in Colorado. This person was dressed to remind us of the Joker character in the first Batman movie. He goes to a theater showing the latest Batman movie and used a gun to injure 38 and kill 12 innocent people who decided to go to a movie. He seems to be unclear on what is real and what is not; or he has some other psychological issue.

This raises two questions in my mind:

Who in our community of people could have recognized the problems of this troubled person, and perhaps prevented this terrible event from happening? Do we connect with our neighbors anymore since the family unit is scattered or broken in some cases?

Why do so many people think it is necessary to own a gun? or is it another case of the gun lobby controlling what regulatory laws are passed by Congress? Where is the government of the people, by the people and for the people?

What are your thoughts? is our society and our government totally beyond control?