Gun Control: Is it really the root of the problem?

With the many mass shootings and issues, the usual rhetoric about gun control is already starting to spin up. The liberals are saying that better gun control would stop these things, the conservatives are saying that gun free zones and gun regulation makes it easier to identify soft target regions.

However, is gun control REALLY the problem? Switzerland has virtually no gun control laws and automatic weapons in most homes and has very low crime rates. Likewise, Australia and Japan have lower crime rates than the United States despite VERY tight gun control laws.

However it seems to me that the issue that we have is the desensitization to violence and the legitimization of violent attacks. With the release of American Sniper, there were people that said, "If you don't like this movie, you are un-American and we will murder you in your homes for treason for not supporting our troops." Similarly, I have seen comments from Trump opponents calling for murdering him, and some even saying to rape his wife.

Is gun control really the answer when we have so many people that don't understand the value of life? More responsible gun ownership will stop active shooters, but there are a reasonable number of people that have committed mass shootings that have NEVER risen to the level of having their weapons taken away. Tighter regulations can be used to disarm the public (i.e. veterans with PTSD, those with history of depression), so that's not an excellent answer.

Is gun control really an answer to stop these shootings? How do we combat these issues in a manner that can still enable responsible weapon ownership and still maintain the public safety?

(Disclaimer: This isn't an attempt to push an agenda, simply an attempt to get others' thoughts regarding this issue.)
v/r,
CPT Butler