One thing that could have stopped this last shooting without nany new laws

[Lee-Lee]

The guy had a felony level domestic violence conviction.

His family and close friends had to know this.

Yet he openly had his firearm. Illegally.

Had any of them bothered to step up and make a call to report a person illegally possessing a firearm this would have been headed off.

It’s unclear right now if he got the gun because the background check system failed or because of a straw purchase or something else, but he was clearly prohibited from possession of it under Federal law. I just saw Texas officials on TV say he had applied for a Texas CCW and was denied, so the record was there.

If you know of someone illegally in possession of a firearm- do something. Tell law enforcement.

And to make it worse reports are that on the same social media platforms he openly displayed the gun he was making threats and ominous statements for several days before this- and nobody reported it still.

Granted it is a huge struggle to get this law enforced on a Federal level- the BATFE and Federal Prosecutors offices don’t care. Usually you have to get state and local authorities to do it. But dammit report it to all of them and at least try.

All the laws saying you can’t do or have something are totally useless if nobody bothers to report when they are openly broken.

[Lars39]

1. Were they intimidated by him

knowing he had weapons? Did they think local law enforcement wouldn’t do a thing about his illegally owned weapons? Was he perhaps friends with local law enforcement? Reporting him could have made him more dangerous to his family.

[doc03]

3. Being Trump territory his family is probaly just as crazy. nt

[Lee-Lee]

4. He was putting it openly on social media

An anonymous tip telling them to check his Facebook page and his background was all that was needed- and that is all that would be needed for a search warrant to go search the home, seize the gun and arrest home.

I can’t speak for every LE agency but when I was Deputy my agency and every one around us took felons and domestic abusers in possession of firearms illegally very seriously. I can’t imagine any that operate under a different mentality because those are the people most dangerous to LE as well as the public so ignoring them isn’t an option.

It was a “drop everything, work this now” kind of deal when we got credible evidence of such a violation.

[Lars39]

7. Small towns can sometimes work much differently,

especially when everyone is kin or friends or knows someone who is.

[Lee-Lee]

12. And thats when you move up the chain.

Start local. If they don’t act, go to state level. If they don’t act, go to the feds. It’s a violation on state and federal levels.

If nobody acts and it’s such a clear case like this where he posts pictures on social media, take that evidence of inaction to the media and force them to either act or explain why they won’t enforce the laws.

Yeah, it’s harder than making excuses or expecting someone else to do it. But it’s what it takes.

[doc03]

2. Unfortunatly there are millions of nut jobs just like him

can't stop them all. I know people that I don't think should be anywhere near a gun but they can get all
they want legally.

[LiberalBrooke]

5. A history of violence

Is a huge red flag. Just keeping guns from domestic abusers would help until we can get reasonable gun laws.

[Lee-Lee]

13. Agreed

That takes multiple things.

DV must be reported. If you suspect it in someone you know, say something.

DV must be prosecuted when discovered. This is a huge weak link where prosecutors either drop charges or take plea deals to lesser charges that are not DV and won’t bar someone from owning guns. We saw this in the case of the guy who decided to travel from Illinois to go shoot at Congressmembers in DC- had Prosecutors in Illinois not dropped the ball when he was arrested before he wouldn’t have been able to buy or legally own his guns.

States must be serious about keeping records of restraining orders and convictions reported to NICS accurately and in a timely manner.

NICS needs to be modernized and made more reliable.

NICS should be opened to private sellers so anyone selling a gun can do a NICS check, and hold anyone who sells a gun to a felon without using that tool (once it is made available) accountable under the Felony Murder stature.

[Demsrule86]

6. I want new laws and I want the existing laws enforced...no one should have an automatic weapon or

needs a high capacity magazine...end of story... I am sick of living in fear of the the gun humpers.

[Initech]

8. You know after every mass shooting, the right always cries about the left taking their guns away.

And you know what? I'm actually now perfectly ok with it. How many more innocent have to die before something is done? Some of these people should have their guns taken away.

[Lars39]

9. Wish there was some way to compare the future number

of dead from guns if nothing is done, to the number of dead from confiscating guns.
I'm betting the future dead from nothing done would heavily outweigh the future dead from confiscating guns.

[Initech]

10. I saw a post somewhere...

Where this guy was bragging about how he had two killer pit bulls, barbed wire fence surrounding his house, bars on the windows, a safe full of AKs, and he's like "try to break in, I dare you!". I wouldn't go to that house on a bet! These are the kind of people who should be profiled and should probably be on FBI watch lists.

[Lars39]

11. Yeah, got a few in my neighborhood.

Makes you even hesitate to walk by their house.

[Madam45for2923]

14. If someone you know has a gun how can you tell if it was legally acquired?

Maybe we should go through everyone's social pages and see who is touting their guns there

[Lee-Lee]

15. If you know they spent a year in jail thats a clue

Not everyone on this persons social media would know- but many would. You don’t exactly hide disappearing for a year.

His family and close friends knew.

[Madam45for2923]

16. Hiding for a year, LOL! Makes sense Lee-Lee!