PHOENIX — In the search for how to prevent the next mass shooting, a former top Arizona law enforcement official looks to provoke thought with an upcoming op-ed on red-flag laws.
Days after 19 students and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the chaos that started Tuesday hasn’t seemed to steady much.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott was interrupted by Democratic candidate for Governor, Beto O’Rourke on Wednesday. The same thing happened again on Thursday when Texas Sen Roland Gutierrez stood up and called on Abbott to call a special session to address gun control.
On Friday, the Texas DPS Director admitted it was the wrong decision by local law enforcement to not enter the school and immediately try to stop the 18-year-old gunman.
Frank Milstead is the former director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety
”The doctrine, and I don’t know why it wasn’t followed here, whoever arrives goes in and immediately moves to the gun, moves to the shots being fired to neutralize the threat.”
So again, to start the conversation of preventing another mass shooting Milstead gave ABC15 an op-ed you may soon see in national publications.
It’s titled – When Counting bodies and bullets, add the red flags.
He proposes a federal statute that when someone shows “potential societal violent misconduct.”
That person would get a mandatory mental health evaluation and be detained until they can safely return to society.
As part of the op-ed Milstead penned 13 examples of what could be a potential “red-flag” for someone to identify.
- Has posted on Social Media intent to commit harmful acts against others
- Has celebrated through social media or Writings the violent acts of others
- Has purchased or been denied purchase of a firearm
- Has purchased explosives or precursors to build explosive devices
- Has produced renderings of acts of societal violence
- Has been expelled from an educational institution
- Has been suspended from an educational institution for acts/threats of violence
- Has confided in others the intent to commit societal violence
- Has been arrested or charged with a violent act
- Has been diagnosed by a doctor or clinician of mental health abnormalities
- Has been diagnosed or exhibited substance abuse disorders
- Has been convicted of acts of violence or threats
- Has made overt threats of violence
”I think there is going to be a push from these generations of kids that have had enough they want some changes in the gun laws in America. I think that is coming sooner than later. It doesn’t matter what Frank Milstead thinks it matters what the voters think, it matters what these kids think. They’re the voters and the generation to come,” said Milstead.
The proposal is likely to upset those who feel a red-flag law would chip away at one's right to own a gun, their privacy, or civil rights.
“My argument to that is, if you carry a cell phone. And you use a debit or credit card, your privacy is already compromised,” Milstead said.
Once published nationally, Milstead hopes to meet with lawmakers and other stakeholders for a summit leading up to the election in November.
”Let’s write something up, let’s introduce it to congress and get some bipartisan support,” he said.
