NY with more resources to put a red flag on “dangerous” subjects and keep them away from firearms

Against the backdrop of a new mass shooting at a school in St Louis, Missouri, which left two dead and seven injuredNew York State announced new impetus to the Red Flag Law to create More protections for New Yorkers against the epidemic of gun violence.

On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James confirmed an increase in $4.6 million in the fiscal year 2023 budgetto further support the efforts of the New York State Police to obtain “extreme risk” protective orders, when individuals pose a danger to themselves or others.

The Red Flag Law, also known as Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Act, iPrevents people who show signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing any type of firearm.

This legal initiative had already been reinforced after the bloody attack at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, giving law enforcement, doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists or registered nurses the authority to file an application for an extreme risk protection order against a person examined carrying weapons, which may pose a risk for herself and for the community.

“We are taking dangerous and deadly weapons out of the hands of those who can cause tragedy. Behind each judicial order of this type, great misfortunes have possibly been avoided ”, pointed out the state president.

ERPO came into effect on August 25, 2019, providing procedural safeguards to ensure that firearms “go out of the game” under due process. At the same time, it helps prevent tragedies, like the Parkland, Florida, school shooting and the racist mass shooting in Buffalo.

more reinforcements

Following an executive order and legislation signed by Governor Hochulto strengthen law enforcement this year, courts across the state issued 1,908 extreme hazard protection orders, more than double the number of orders issued since this rule came into force.

“These new funds will allow my office to better support our partners in the New York State Police, promote public safety, and help save more lives across our state,” James explained.

Currently, troopers file applications in court for an ERPO on their own, but with the drastic increase in applications, there is a need for constant legal representation to ensure that the process for removing potentially dangerous weaponswork effectively.

The additional resources already made available for the coming year will allow the Office of the Attorney General add more attorneys to represent the State Police and reinforce your efforts to obtain these orders.

NYPD wants more warrants

Four days after the racially motivated mass shooting in Buffalo, Governor Hochul issued an executive order requiring state police expand the use of the Red Flag Act to help prevent shootings.

Since then, the officers have requested 339 orders, more than triple the number of applications made last year. And the courts have approved 86.5 percent of those requests.

For his part, the interim superintendent of the New York State Police Steven Nigrelli indicated that while they are proud of the high application rate, “we would like to see all of our applications approved.”

“There is no question that with the legal expertise of the Office of the Attorney General we can maximize our use of the law and be more successful with our ultimate goal: keep people safe”held.

The background to this law does not criminalize people, but instead prevents guns from falling into the hands of those who have exhibited a higher risk of violent behavior.

Attention with social networks

Last week, Governor Hochul and Attorney General James released a report on the role of online platforms in the Buffalo mass shooting, after reviewing thousands of pages of documents and social media content showing how the alleged shooter used platforms on line to plan, prepare and publicize your attack.

“Online platforms must be held accountable for allowing dangerous and racially hateful content to spread on their platforms,” he added.

Until now, Payton Gendron, an 18-year-old, is the only one accused of being the protagonist of the mass shooting in Buffalo, who left a handwritten note to his parents apologizing, but stating that “He had to commit this attack” because he cared about “the future of the white race,” federal prosecutors revealed.

Gendron starred in a deadly mass shooting that claimed the lives of 10 black people and injured three others at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

More red flags:

• 403 requests to dispose of weapons or prohibit purchase licenses potentially dangerous individuals have been prosecuted on average for every month since June 2022.
• 45 per month they were just the orders issued between October 2019 and May 2022 before the Red Flag Law was strengthened.