The disturbing elementary school shooting that killed 26 in Newtown, Conn., on Dec. 14 has led to cries for stricter gun control.

Celebrities like Beyoncé rallied for stricter gun control laws in “Demand a Plan,” a video public service announcement, and President Obama shed tears while speaking to reporters about the Newtown tragedy. Despite the public outcry and celebrity backing, it seems unlikely gun control laws will be changed.

Indeed, mass shootings are commonplace in the United States and have been for quite some time. Since 1982, at least 61 deadly shootings have been documented in the United States. Of those documented shootings, over three-fourths of the guns used were obtained legally by the shooters.

Gun control is obviously an important component to solving gun-related violence. Restricting who can legally obtain firearms will inevitably reduce shootings, but it will not eliminate them.

The missing piece of the equation may be mental health. The National Institute for Mental Health estimates that 57.7 million adult Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Of the 61 deadly shootings in the United States documented nearly 80 percent of the shooters suffered from at least one mental illness.

The question still remains: if their mental illness was properly treated and dealt with, would those violent shootings have occurred?

The bigger issue perhaps is how we treat the mentally ill and help them become successful members of society. It is a conversation our country needs to have. The National Institute of Mental Health estimate that only 58.7 percent of adults with a serious mental illness receive treatment. This means almost half of the mentally ill adults are not receiving the treatment they need.

If more resources are made available for the mentally ill and stricter gun control laws are implemented, our country has a real chance at curbing gun violence.