12 Things That We Can Actually Do To Reduce The Death Toll From Mass Shootings

We Can Decide To Come Together On Common Ground 

In the wake of every school shooting, there is a push to "do something" - typically followed by a call to ban some kind of firearm (or all of them).  The focus is on one big thing that can be done.  Then nothing happens because the discussion stops and grid lock takes over.  In reality, we can do a lot of little things that add up to a lot.  So, once again, I am going to suggest things could actually be done.  Things that can be done without new laws or with laws we can actually pass.

We can get the most out of our current gun laws

The sad fact is that our current gun laws simply are not being used or enforced.  We can do better without a single new gun law.  In fact, most gun owners and gun rights groups would support the following.

We can make the most of our background check system

Realistically, the best the background check system can do is force people prohibited from purchasing firearms into the illegal market.  However, our current system isn't even doing this because we are not doing our best to make it work.  At least two recent public mass shootings directly involved the background check system failing. 

In one case(Charleston), the FBI (that is responsible for conducting the checks) discovered that the shooter was prohibited but then failed to tell the dealer to halt the sale.  The head of the FBI's background check unit put it well: "We dropped the ball".

In the case of the Texas church shooting, the shooter was able to purchase multiple firearms through legal channels after becoming a prohibited person.  Why?  He simply had not been reported to the FBI for inclusion in their database.  Indeed, the system is so hampered by the lack of reporting that a prohibited person has a one in three chance of being able to buy a gun illegally through legal channels.  Who is trying to change this?  The gun industry!

Action Item: Increase funding and personnel for the National Instant Check System

Action Item: Require states to report all prohibited persons to the FBI by making federal funding contingent upon thorough reporting.

Indeed, a bill is in Congress right now that will accomplish much of this.

We can actually prosecute people who violate our current gun laws

We can prosecute people trying to buy guns illegally.  When someone lies on the 4473 application form - for instance indicating that they have never been convicted of a felony when they actually have been - they are committing perjury.  That should result in jail time.  Instead, they are almost never prosecuted.

Action Item: Prosecute any prohibited person who attempts to buy a gun to the fullest extent of the law.  Make sure they serve years in prison.

We can stop letting "straw purchasers" off with a slap on the wrist.  Straw purchasers also lie on the 4473 form so they can buy guns for people who could not pass the background check.  These people almost never serve any jail time - even when they have bought guns for multiple felons.

Action Item: Prosecute straw buyers to the full extent of the law.  Make sure they serve years in prison.

Nearly 60% of Peace Officers Believe
Increased Prosecution of Federal Gun Laws
Would Decrease Gun Crime
(Police One Survey of Active US Peace Officers)

When people become prohibited persons, they may already have purchased firearms.  In such cases a search of their home and an investigation should be conducted.  We must do a better job of making sure these people surrender their firearms.

Action Item: Do a better job of confiscating firearms possessed by newly prohibited persons.

Finally, selling firearms to prohibited person is a serious crime.  We need to treat it as such.  If illegal gun dealing was investigated and prosecuted, more prohibited persons would be prevented from accessing firearms.

Action Item: Treat illegal firearms dealing to prohibited persons as the serious crime it is.  Make sure those convicted serve decades in prison.

We Can Improve Our Mental Health System

Our mental health system is a disaster.  We are doing a terrible job of identifying the small percentage of mentally ill persons who are dangerous. 

In many cases, future mass shooters have had multiple contacts with law enforcement (in the case of the Giffords shooter - over 20 times) due to bizzare and threatening behavior - yet they have never been placed on a temporary hold and sent to a mental health facility for evaluation.  This failure directly interfaces with our gun laws.  A person who is involuntarily committed to a mental health facility becomes a prohibited person for life.  They may never legally own or possess firearms for the rest of their lives.  Obviously, if the mental health system never sees the subject they can never be involuntarily committed.

Action Item: Make sure that every state has laws allowing police to send people to mental health facilities for evaluation.

Action Item: Fully fund the mental health system - specifically the emergency mental health emergency facilities that do evaluations and the system responsible for seeking commitments from the courts.

We Can Improve Security

86.2% of Line Police Officers Believe Citizen Carry
Would Save Innocent Lives
(Police One Survey)

Let's begin by looking at what can be done to improve security generally, followed by what can be done to improve school security.

First, we should take a long and realistic look at citizen carry.  This is not a new and untested idea.  Currently 43 states have some form of citizen carry and we have data going back a full 30 years.  Current estimates of the total number of persons licensed to carry is generally accepted to be about 16 million.  Two states, Florida and Texas, with a combined total of over 3 million licenses, actually keep detailed records and publish them online.  Those opposed to concealed carry NEVER quote these stats - and with good reason.  Texas stats prove that persons with licenses to carry are 10 times more law abiding than police officers.  Florida stats reveal similar numbers. They are not a threat - they are an asset.  People with carry permits have regularly stopped crimes and saved lives.  Some of those lives have been those of police officers - and yes, they have stopped mass shootings too.  I cover this in detail here.

The federal government can further improve concealed carry by requiring all states to adopt "shall issue" systems and setting minimum training and background check requirements for national reciprocity.

Action Item: Pass national concealed carry permit/license reciprocity with minimum training and background check requirements.

Which Of these Two Signs
Would Deter An Attack?

Gun free zones can save lives - if they are actually gun free zones.  Phony gun free zones, which are most of them, actually cost lives.  They are the site of the vast majority of public mass shootings that are not gang related.  The absolute insanity of securing an area with signs that will only be obeyed by off duty law enforcement and persons licensed to carry should be apparent.  A would be terrorist, caught by the FBI, was planning to attack a church because, "people can't have guns there".  One public mass shooter was seen on video to enter a store and stop in front of the sign designating the store as "gun free".  he then when back to his car and returned with his gun.  The entire goal of gun free zones is to disarm people licensed to carry and off duty law enforcement.  Could anything be more counterproductive?  Even those who support these so called gun free zones have to admit that they do not prevent mass shootings - however, we know that licensed civilians and off duty law enforcement can stop them.

Action Item: Require those locations that are open to the public, who wish to forbid the carrying of firearms by licensed individuals or off duty law enforcement to screen people entering the location or to assume legal responsibility for their safety. 

Moving on to school safety, there is much we can do.

First, we can provide federal funding to harden schools against illegal entry.  This should include screening for weapons upon entry and remotely controlled doors that can seal off areas and perhaps even trap intruders.

Action Item: Provide funding to harden schools against illegal entry and illegally carried weapons.

Next, we must accept the reality that we cannot possibly prevent all intrusions and therefore we cannot prevent all school shootings.  It is time to accept reality and admit that if we wait for police to respond, many more people die.  It is also time to admit that the only thing that cuts short mass shooting is the arrival of armed opposition.  The fast such opposition can be brought to bear, the more people live.  It really doesn't matter if that armed opposition is a police officer, a security officer or a trained citizen.  In fact, in the vast majority of cases the mere sight of another armed person will prompt either suicide (most common), or surrender (next most common).  Every one of these sick individuals has a plan.  The may want to die, or they may want to survive and tell their story.  As soon as the second armed person arrives, their control over the outcome is threatened - and most of the time they will implement their "end game plan" while they still can do so.  Don't believe me?  I challenge you to research as many of these public mass shootings as you can.  Any honest person will come to the same conclusion.

So the next question is: How can we provide armed security on site at every school in America?  What are the possibilities?

Well, I think we all can agree that a security team composed of police officers would be the best option - if funds were unlimited.  However, funds are not unlimited and they never will be.  So, on to option two.......

Over 81% of Line Peace Officers
Support Arming Teachers
(Police One Survey)

Option two would be a police officer at every school, backed up by a high trained group of armed teachers and staff.  First, let me make clear what I am not suggesting: I am not suggesting that every teacher or school staff member with a carry permit be allowed to carry their gun at school.  (Even though the state of Utah has had exactly this policy in place for over a decade with no issues whatsoever and not a single school shooting.)  What I am suggesting is that carry permit or license is only the beginning point.  

School staff permitted to carry first must have advanced training and be integrated into a team, ideally lead by an on site officer.  While it is true that the average teacher who already has a carry permit would likely do no harm and would probably cause most school mass murders to implement their "end game plan", we can and should do better by them and by the students.  How do I know this?  Well, I have had enough training to know how hard room clearing is - and I know that I would want more training before assuming that kind of responsibility.


How do I know this?  Well, as I said, I have had some experience in simulated room clearing.  I know how easy it is to get killed.  Nevertheless, it is completely within the abilities of some teachers to learn these skills.  Check out this video of teachers being trained last June in Colorado:

Additionally, we could encourage retired law enforcement officers and retired military to become teachers or take other jobs at the school if they qualify to carry firearms and protect our students.

Action Item: Provide more than adequate armed security for all America's schools.

Every one of these things is achievable - both practically and more important politically.  Together, they may not be able to prevent every attack on our schools - but they definitely would do a lot more good than another round of political deadlock.