Guns have one purpose. To kill. If you're pro gun for civilians then you're scum in my eyes. I can't be any clearer than that.
You could say that about archery too. Bows and arrows have the primary purpose which is to kill. That doesn't mean that using it as a sport is bad or that archery is necessarily a danger to other people.
I think guns are completely legitimate for farmers who have pests, people who hunt deer other other animals or even as a sport for target practice. My main issue with the news story is that the girl was very young, too young in my opinion and that the weapon was automatic. If you are hunting or shooting a target you have absolutely no need for fully automatic fire.