One of the most compelling issues in the U.S. is the large number of people with mental disorders who have weapons and who are guilty of mass killings of innocent people. Law enforcement agencies are …
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One of the most compelling issues in the U.S. is the large number of people with mental disorders who have weapons and who are guilty of mass killings of innocent people. Law enforcement agencies are aware of some of these mental cases who may be a threat, but if they don’t break the law before they go on a shooting spree, not much can be done.The gunman who killed five people and wounded others at an airport in Florida was known by authorities in his hometown of Anchorage, Alaska. In fact, the gunman, Esteban Santiago, had been prosecuted for domestic violence and told federal officials in November that he was tormented by voices in his head.He had enough sense to board a plane in Anchorage, fly to Fort Lauderdale, take a gun from his baggage and fire at anyone near him. He did serve a tour in Iraq, and his family said he was unstable after Army duty. He served as a combat engineer in Iraq.The question is, how do you handle mental cases such as Santiago? First of all, family members should take actions to make sure they don’t have weapons. Of course, it’s so easy for anyone to obtain a gun these days, so a mentally troubled individual can always obtain one. The police who have identified persons with mental problems can’t watch them 24/7.One solution, whenever possible, is to provide medical help to these disturbed people. If a family member has a problem, they should seek help. It’s going to take a community to alert law enforcement of any suspicious, troubled individuals who may be dangerous. A problem is it is impossible for the average person, and even medical people, to know when a mentally disturbed person will crack and cause harm.