Call to action - DO SOMETHING to stop gun violence
Opinion echo published in the Journal Gazette, an Indiana newspaper:
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| Kevin Hunter, Fort Wayne Indiana |
While the details of this deadly incident continue to emerge, I know that police all over the United States have gone through active shooter training since the Columbine massacre.
What we learned from that case was that when there is an active shooter, there is no time to waste; police must go in and stop the killing.
As a captain for the Fort Wayne Police Department, I can attest that this duty to protect is sacred. And whether that means going into a classroom to stop a threat or other policies, the tragedy in Texas holds many lessons that need to be addressed.
That an 18-year-old can purchase a high-powered rifle, go to a school and kill innocent children and teachers is something that should never happen.
Yes, the Second Amendment protects a citizen’s right to own a firearm. But currently, an 18-year-old can purchase a long gun.
We know from science that a person’s brain does not fully develop until around age 26.
Changing the age to purchase firearms from 18 to 26, along with a thorough background check, would be a good start to making sure the proper people are purchasing firearms.
And comprehensive background checks should include any information from mental health providers that would show a person to be considered “improper” as a result of mental illness.
Indiana’s lawmakers recently did away with the law on handgun permits. As of July 1, this will allow anyone to carry a pistol without a license.
I know that previously thousands of people have been denied gun permits through background checks and have been found to be an “improper person” to carry a pistol. Doing away with gun permits will make it significantly more difficult for police officers when they encounter a person carrying a pistol to determine whether they are a “proper person” or not.
One good thing Indiana has done concerning firearms are the red flag laws enacted a few years ago. A police officer has the ability to file a probable cause affidavit with a judge to petition to immediately seize any firearms of a person who is a danger to themselves or others.
I’ve worked such a case. We removed all of the person’s firearms from their possession. That person then left and tried to purchase another firearm at a gun shop. Fortunately, we stopped that purchase from happening.
A judge found that we had probable cause to remove the firearms, which kept the person and community safe. Red flag laws work.
We must continue to implement solutions such as red flag laws that prevent senseless gun violence. I can’t imagine the trauma children are going through in this day and age.
To have to practice active shooter drills, plus the trauma and anxiety those can create, is beyond words.
What we learned from that case was that when there is an active shooter, there is no time to waste; police must go in and stop the killing.
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| Celia Correa Sauceda, right, hugs her friend Stacey Mazuca after they and other mariachi musicians from San Antonio performed during a memorial in Uvalde on Wednesday, June 1. Sauceda, who plays violin, is an elementary teacher in San Antonio. She said she was in Uvalde to be a voice. "We cannot forget what happened, and it needs to stop," Sauceda said. Matthew Busch for CNN |
As a captain for the Fort Wayne Police Department, I can attest that this duty to protect is sacred. And whether that means going into a classroom to stop a threat or other policies, the tragedy in Texas holds many lessons that need to be addressed.
That an 18-year-old can purchase a high-powered rifle, go to a school and kill innocent children and teachers is something that should never happen.
Yes, the Second Amendment protects a citizen’s right to own a firearm. But currently, an 18-year-old can purchase a long gun.
We know from science that a person’s brain does not fully develop until around age 26.
Changing the age to purchase firearms from 18 to 26, along with a thorough background check, would be a good start to making sure the proper people are purchasing firearms.
And comprehensive background checks should include any information from mental health providers that would show a person to be considered “improper” as a result of mental illness.
Indiana’s lawmakers recently did away with the law on handgun permits. As of July 1, this will allow anyone to carry a pistol without a license.
I know that previously thousands of people have been denied gun permits through background checks and have been found to be an “improper person” to carry a pistol. Doing away with gun permits will make it significantly more difficult for police officers when they encounter a person carrying a pistol to determine whether they are a “proper person” or not.
One good thing Indiana has done concerning firearms are the red flag laws enacted a few years ago. A police officer has the ability to file a probable cause affidavit with a judge to petition to immediately seize any firearms of a person who is a danger to themselves or others.
I’ve worked such a case. We removed all of the person’s firearms from their possession. That person then left and tried to purchase another firearm at a gun shop. Fortunately, we stopped that purchase from happening.
A judge found that we had probable cause to remove the firearms, which kept the person and community safe. Red flag laws work.
We must continue to implement solutions such as red flag laws that prevent senseless gun violence. I can’t imagine the trauma children are going through in this day and age.
To have to practice active shooter drills, plus the trauma and anxiety those can create, is beyond words.
I can’t imagine how many children go to school each day wondering “Is today the day?” And how many parents secretly worry the same thing?
If I am elected sheriff, I will make sure Allen County sheriff’s deputies have the most updated training on active shooters and firearms laws. I will also make sure they have the most recent training on mental health issues and the red flag laws.
None of these answers are easy, but we must take steps to protect our communities from mass shooters and keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others.
Kevin Hunter is the Democratic nominee for Allen County, Indiana sheriff.
If I am elected sheriff, I will make sure Allen County sheriff’s deputies have the most updated training on active shooters and firearms laws. I will also make sure they have the most recent training on mental health issues and the red flag laws.
None of these answers are easy, but we must take steps to protect our communities from mass shooters and keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others.
Kevin Hunter is the Democratic nominee for Allen County, Indiana sheriff.
P.S. Maine Writer- DO SOMETHING!
Labels: Allen County, Indiana, Journal Gazette, Kevin Hunter
posted by Juliana L'Heureux | 6:23 AM
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