Following the horrific deaths of six University of Santa Barbara students at the hands of 22-year-old community college student Elliot Rodger in the Isla Vista community on Friday, state lawmakers immediately responded by giving more teeth to law enforcement to ensure that similar rampages will be prohibited.
On Tuesday, two California lawmakers had submitted a proposal that would allow law enforcement to seek a gun violence restraining order from a judge at the request of family members and friends of a suspected individual.
Democratic Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner of Berkeley, who have sponsored the measure with Das Williams of Santa Barbara, said, "When someone is in crisis, the people closest to them are often the first to spot the warning signs but almost nothing can now be done to get back their guns or prevent them from buying more."
Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento also recommended that authorities are required to check whether an individuals has weapons purchased during welfare visits. He also said that additional requirements, like conducting a search on the individual's surroundings and talking to people in close proximity of the individual.
Loopholes in law enforcement measures were observed when Rodger's manifesto came into public knowledge, AP said. Moreover, there has been concerns about the state laws about gun purchases considering that Rodgers has not been committed for mental health treatment despite the fact that the teenager had been into therapy. Moreover, Rodgers also posted a video on the Web detailing his plans. He later died in what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, AP said.
On the other hand, Steinberg raised the issue of priority funding as the state budget spending negotiation nears. According to Steinberg, the harrowing attacks has emphasized the need to address concerns on whether first-responders require additional training and direction needed to curb potential tragedies.
"There is a lot we can do to prevent these kinds of horrific events in the future," he added.
