Florida’s U.S. Senator Marco Rubio says the brother of the Parkland mass school shooter is a prime example of why other states should follow Florida and use gun violence protection orders. Rubio and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson are partnering on a “Red Flag” bill.
Rubio and Nelson’s bill encourages states to allow law enforcement or a family member to go to court and seek a “gun violence restraining order” against someone they believe is dangerous.
“These tools now give authorities the ability to take away their guns with due process, but also to prevent them from buying others that could put people’s life in danger,” said Rubio, during a press conference Thursday.
And, Rubio says it’s already happening in Florida. It’s included in the gun safety law Governor Rick Scott recently signed.
“And, as we saw a few days ago, the court has applied for one in the case of the brother of the shooter in Parkland, and these extreme risk protection orders are, in my view, one of the most effective things that states can do to address it,” Rubio added.
Earlier this week, Zachary Cruz—the brother of the Parkland shooter—was arrested for trespassing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and allegedly overheard talking about his brother’s notoriety. Under Florida’s new “red flag” law, he could be hospitalized, undergo a mental health evaluation, and barred from acquiring firearms. The Broward County Sheriff’s office has requested approval from a judge to do so.
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