NPR

What It Takes To Get Guns Out Of The Wrong Hands

Prosecutors and law enforcement in the Seattle area have embarked on a new anti-violence strategy: Make sure the people who've been ordered to give up their guns actually do so.

"Why did he even have a gun?" — it's a common refrain in America, often after mass shootings by people who legally aren't supposed to have firearms.

One of the worst recent examples was the massacre in a Sutherland Springs, Texas, church last November, in which 26 people were killed by a man whose domestic violence conviction should have barred him from buying guns.

It happened again a week later, when a man in Rancho Tehama, Calif., killed four people and shot up the outside of a school. He, too, had been ordered to give up his guns, but verification of his compliance was left to the "honor system."

"The system is reactive," says Chris Anderson, a prosecutor

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Justice Thomas Decries 'Nastiness' And 'Lies' Against Him
The Supreme Court justice told attendees at a judicial conference that he and his wife have faced "nastiness" and "lies" over the last several years and decried Washington as a "hideous place."
NPR4 min read
Senate Passes FAA Reauthorization Bill, Sending Legislation To The House
The Senate passed a bill designed to improve safety and customer service for air travelers, a day before the law governing the Federal Aviation Administration expires.
NPR5 min read
Why Writing By Hand Beats Typing For Thinking And Learning
Researchers are learning that handwriting engages the brain in ways typing can't match, raising questions about the costs of ditching this age-old practice, especially for kids.

Related Books & Audiobooks