An AP analysis found many states barely use “red flag” laws that allow police to take guns away from those threatening to kill people, a trend blamed on lack of awareness of the laws and a reluctance by some police to enforce them even as gun deaths soar.
, Illinois, and a spike in gun violence not seen in decades: 27,000 deaths so far this year, following 45,000 deaths each of the past two years.
AP’s tally counts an emergency order that is followed by a longer one as a single order if they involve the same gun owner. In rare cases where no one asked for an emergency order and only a longer one was requested and granted, that also counts as a single order. Several states reported incomplete data.
“We’re not going to wait for an Uvalde, Texas, or a Parkland or a Columbine if we have the information and people say that they’re going to shoot or kill,” said Judd, who enforced 752 orders since 2020 in a county of 725,000 residents, a tally that’s more than the total orders for 15 entire states. “We’re going to use the tools that the state gave us.”
Asked why Chicago had so few red flag firearm restraining orders, police spokesman Thomas Ahern said many of the city’s gun killings are committed with illegally owned firearms. Several experts said it’s impossible to come up with an ideal number of red flag orders and misleading to compare states by orders because of the widely varying rates of gun ownership and gun homicides and suicides, among other stats.
While the impact of red flag laws on homicides is less well researched, studies suggest many mass shootings could be avoided if the laws were implemented aggressively. A study by the gun-control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety showed perpetrators exhibited dangerous warning signs before more than half of the mass shootings in the dozen years through 2020 that accounted for 596 deaths.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Red flag laws barely get used as shootings, gun deaths soar in USAn AP analysis found many U.S. states barely use the red flag laws touted as the most powerful tool to stop gun violence before it happens. Here's why.
Read more »
Romeo Santos Is Both a Bachata Innovator and a Proud Traditionalist on 'Formula Vol. 3'.RomeoSantosPage moves smoothly between genres and gets a little personal on his new LP, 'Formula Vol. 3.' Our review.
Read more »
Times Square a gun free zone as new NY gun law goes into effect todayNew York state's new Concealed Carry Improvement Act goes into effect Thursday and the New York City Council is working to make Time Square a sensitive place, permanently.
Read more »
5 Signs You're Actually The Jerk At WorkIf you’re the one nobody likes in the office, don’t expect anyone to tell you. But do watch out for these red flags.
Read more »