Disarming law: Californians gain right to have relatives’ guns confiscated
Under a new California law, families can ask police to confiscate lawfully-owned weapons from close relatives. The law was introduced after an unstable gunman’s shooting rampage left seven people dead and 13 injured.
It is the first law in the US that gives families who think a
close relative might commit gun violence the ability to petition
for a restraining order. The measure was signed into law Tuesday
by Democrat Governor Jerry Brown, and has wide support by law
enforcement agencies and gun control advocates.
“The new ‘Gun Violence Restraining Order’ Law will give families
and law enforcement a needed tool to reduce the risk of mass
shootings and gun violence both in the home and on our
streets,” said Nick and Amanda Wilcox, legislative co-chairs
of the California Chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun
Violence, reported Reuters.
The measure allows families and law enforcement to petition for
protection which is valid for 21 days. The order can be extended
up to a year, after a notice and a hearing.
Republican senators spoke out against the bill, arguing there
were already measures to keep guns away from dangerous and
unstable people. Critics said the bill infringed on the Second
Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
The measure was introduced after Elliot Rodger, a Santa Barbara
City College student, went on a rampage in May 2014, killing six
people and injuring 13, before taking his own life. Law
enforcement had three earlier dealings with Rodger, including one
in which his family had asked them to check on their son as they
were concerned about his health.
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