02-19-2018, 12:09 PM
Snip:
The warnings around Nikolas Cruz seemed to flash like neon signs: expelled from school, fighting with classmates, a fascination with weapons and hurting animals, disturbing images and comments posted to social media, previous mental health treatment.
So many people came forward about the threat Cruz presented and local police had been called to his home 39 times. In Florida, that wasn't enough for relatives, authorities or his school to request a judicial order barring him from possessing guns.
Only five states have laws allowing family members, guardians or police to ask judges to temporarily strip gun rights from people who show warning signs of violence. Supporters of the measures, deemed "red flag laws" or gun violence restraining orders, say they can save lives by stopping some shootings and suicides.
Florida, where Cruz is accused of using an AR-15 rifle to kill 17 people at his former high school, does not have such a law. He was able to legally own the semi-automatic rifle even though his mother, classmates and teachers had at times described him as dangerous and threatening. I'm hearing this morning that Cruz actually purchases 10 firearms despite all the flags; waiting for that to be confirmed.
(continued)
The warnings around Nikolas Cruz seemed to flash like neon signs: expelled from school, fighting with classmates, a fascination with weapons and hurting animals, disturbing images and comments posted to social media, previous mental health treatment.
So many people came forward about the threat Cruz presented and local police had been called to his home 39 times. In Florida, that wasn't enough for relatives, authorities or his school to request a judicial order barring him from possessing guns.
Only five states have laws allowing family members, guardians or police to ask judges to temporarily strip gun rights from people who show warning signs of violence. Supporters of the measures, deemed "red flag laws" or gun violence restraining orders, say they can save lives by stopping some shootings and suicides.
Florida, where Cruz is accused of using an AR-15 rifle to kill 17 people at his former high school, does not have such a law. He was able to legally own the semi-automatic rifle even though his mother, classmates and teachers had at times described him as dangerous and threatening. I'm hearing this morning that Cruz actually purchases 10 firearms despite all the flags; waiting for that to be confirmed.
(continued)