• jordanlund@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    Fund mental health institutions and make it easier to involuntarily commit people before they buy weapons and go on rampages?

    Case after case, you see more red flags than a May Day Parade, but none of it legally actionable or reportable on a background check.

    Examples:

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uvalde_school_shooting

    “Ramos’ social media acquaintances said he openly abused and killed animals such as cats and would livestream the abuse on Yubo.[132] Other social media acquaintances said that he would also livestream himself on Yubo threatening to kidnap and rape girls who used the app, as well as threatening to commit a school shooting.[131] Ramos’ account was reported to Yubo, but no action was taken.[131][133]”

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkland_high_school_shooting

    “The Florida Department of Children and Families investigated him in September 2016 for Snapchat posts in which he cut both his arms and said he planned to buy a gun. At this time, a school resource officer suggested[92] he undergo an involuntary psychiatric examination under the provisions of the Baker Act. Two guidance counselors agreed, but a mental institution did not.[93] State investigators reported he had depression, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, psychologist Frederick M. Kravitz later testified that Cruz was never diagnosed with autism.[94] In their assessment, they concluded he was “at low risk of harming himself or others”.[95] He had previously received mental health treatment, but had not received treatment in the year leading up to the shooting.[96]”

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Hook_Elementary_School_shooting

    "In a 2013 interview, Peter Lanza (Adam’s father) said he suspected his son might have also had undiagnosed schizophrenia in addition to his other conditions. Lanza said that family members might have missed signs of the onset of schizophrenia and psychotic behavior during his son’s adolescence because they mistakenly attributed his odd behavior and increasing isolation to Asperger syndrome.[155][162][169][170][171] Because of concerns that published accounts of Lanza’s autism could result in a backlash against others with the condition, autism advocates campaigned to clarify that autism is a brain-related developmental disorder rather than a mental illness.[172] The violence Lanza demonstrated in the shooting is generally not seen in the autistic population[173] and none of the psychiatrists he saw detected troubling signs of violence in his disposition.[155]

    Lanza appears to have had no contact with mental health providers after 2006. The report from the Office of the Child Advocate stated: “In the course of Lanza’s entire life, minimal mental health evaluation and treatment (in relation to his apparent need) was obtained. Of the couple of providers that saw him, only one—the Yale Child Study Center—seemed to appreciate the gravity of (his) presentation, his need for extensive mental health and special education supports, and the critical need for medication to ease his obsessive-compulsive symptoms.”[165]"

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Buffalo_shooting

    "In June 2021, Gendron had been investigated for threatening other students at his high school by the police in Broome County.[20][60][66] A teacher had asked him about his plans after the school year, to which Gendron responded, “I want to murder and commit suicide.”[67] He was referred to a hospital for mental health evaluation and counseling but was released after being held for a day and a half.[20][66][68]

    Gendron told police that he was merely joking; however, Gendron later wrote online that this was actually a well-executed bluff.[65][69] He was not charged in connection with the incident since, according to investigators, he had not made a specific enough threat to warrant further action.[66][69] The New York State Police did not seek an order from a state court to remove guns from Gendron’s possession.[69][70] The mental health evaluation was not an involuntary commitment, which would have prohibited him from buying guns under federal law.[69]"

      • deranger@sh.itjust.works
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        13 days ago

        Why doesn’t Canada see a similar per capita rate of shootings despite having more guns per capita than the US?

          • Holyhandgrenade@lemmy.world
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            12 days ago

            My home country (Iceland) has the highest gun ownership in Europe. It’s not much compared to the US, but it’s interesting that we have almost no gun violence. The reason is that we have very strict gun control with thorough background checks, mandatory training and psych evaluations. In addition to that, we have a functioning healthcare system and low income inequality. All these things need to be adressed before the US sees a decrease in gun violence.

          • deranger@sh.itjust.works
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            13 days ago

            I’m not against regulations. It’s just something that came up in Bowling for Columbine that I’ve found interesting.

        • PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee
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          13 days ago

          Probably because most of those Canadians actually have a fucking good reason to be armed, IE for hunting, defending against dangerous wildlife, competitive shooting

    • bobs_monkey@lemm.ee
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      13 days ago

      make it easier to involuntarily commit people

      Yeah, that won’t ever be abused by malicious actors.

      It really is easier to just regulate firearms (not take them away, mind you, just actually regulate and enforce said regulations), but politicians are too worried about pissing off the “but muh freedums” crowd.

      • PhlubbaDubba@lemm.ee
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        13 days ago

        Nah, involuntary psych hold definitely needs lower standards to help address the mental health crisis.

        We’ve got a plan for most homelessness via housing first plans, but for folks that are homeless because they just can’t function for themselves we do genuinely need improved involuntary hold infrastructure.

        We also need vastly improved care facility infrastructure for people who are docile but for whatever reasons medically or mentally incapable of surviving on their own and who don’t have family capable of providing for them.

        You know the system’s broken when a common threat to coerce or emotionally attack elders is to put them in an elder care facility.

      • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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        13 days ago

        not take them away, mind you, just actually regulate and enforce said regulations

        Regulations which will do what? Prevent people from getting guns.

        • sep@lemmy.world
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          13 days ago

          From other countries that have regulations: prevent known criminals, known serious mentally ill people, known abusers, from having guns. Enforce gun lockers, and responsible ownership. Enforce education and training.
          Most countries still have guns you know. Even just the gun lockers would prevent the us rampant murdering toddlers.