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Mass Shootings Often Put a Spotlight on Mental Illness, but Figuring Out Which Conditions Should Keep Someone from Having a Gun Is Not Easy
Mental illness again became a central theme after the mass shooting in Maine on Oct. 25, 2023, in which records suggest that the shooter had a history of serious mental health issues. The relationship between mental illness and guns, and risk mitigation, is complicated, and the majority of people with mental illness do not seek treatment.
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Minnesotans Will Soon Be Able to Disarm Dangerous People. Will it Save Lives?
Lawmakers and advocates say the efficacy of the state’s new red flag law, set to take effect in 2024, will depend on implementation and enforcement. Minnesota and Michigan are the latest of 21 states to enact Extreme Risk Protection Order laws.
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New survey: 70% of Americans Agree Jew-Hatred Is a Serious and Growing Problem in the U.S.
In the month following Hamas’s terror attack on Israel, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. increased by 316 percent compared to the same time period last year. At the same time, Americans are growing increasingly concerned about antisemitism, with more than 70 percent agreeing in a new survey that Jew-hatred is a serious problem.
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Worrying Trends Highlight Need for Vigilance Against Homegrown Terrorism
Despite intense efforts to counter violent extremism over the past two decades, the threat of domestic terrorism still endangers Australians. The focus has shifted from primarily transnational jihadists to violent homegrown ideologues with a range of motivations. As violent extremism evolves, Australia must adapt its strategy to confront this persistent challenge and protect social cohesion and national security.
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What Jan. 6 Revealed About QAnon and Militias
Beginning 3-4 years ago, the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and Three Percenters — the three extremist anti-government militia groups playing a prominent role in the 6 January attack on the Capitol — have adjusted their ideological perspective to find a rallying point around QAnon conspiracy theories. “Throughout 2020, as members of extremist groups coalesced in what researchers have termed a ‘militia-sphere,’ their messaging latched on to QAnon conspiracy theories.”
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The Supreme Court Will Decide if Domestic Abuse Orders Can Bar People from Having Guns. Lives Could Be at Stake.
The court’s ruling on United States v. Rahimi could clarify an earlier decision on guns. Or it could take away one of the best options to protect domestic violence victims. In states like Tennessee, the consequences could be deadly.
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“Backlash Effect”: Why the Middle East Conflict Triggers Hate Crimes in the U.S.
In the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, a wave of antisemitism and Islamophobia has swept across the United States, putting American Jewish and Muslim communities on edge. There has been a staggering 312 cases of antisemitic harassment, vandalism and assault during the first two weeks of the war, a nearly five-fold increase from the same period last year.
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Pioneering the Study of Mass Murder
It is because of Fox’s daily efforts to scour and synthesize police and media reports that we know 2,944 people have died in 567 mass killings in the U.S. since 2006. And that was before a man shot and killed at least 18 people at a restaurant and a bowling alley in Lewiston, Maine.
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As Philadelphia Struggles to Hire Cops, More Businesses Are Turning to Private Armed Guards
In Philadelphia, armed guards are summoned to stand sentinel in places where they’ve rarely — if ever — been before. Concern about homicides is also contributing to the rise of private security. But there are questions about limited training and regulation.
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U.S. Hurtles Toward New Record for Mass Shootings
So far in 2023 there have been more than 565 mass shootings, which the FBI defines as incidents in which at least four people are shot or killed. Gun-related incidents take the lives of 120 people a day in the nation and is the No. 1 cause of death of children. ATF director cites advances in gun technology, lack of restrictions on access, says change will come when Americans demand it.
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Colorado Prisons Vulnerable to Natural Disasters but May Be Ill-Prepared
Three-quarters of Colorado prisons are likely to experience a natural disaster in the coming years, but due to aging infrastructure and outdated policies, many are ill-equipped to keep residents safe.
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Antisemitism Has Moved from the Right to the Left in the U.S. − and Falls Back on Long-Standing Stereotypes
Traditionally, antisemitism in the United States was promoted by far-right organizations and movements which focused on propagating traditional antisemitic narratives alleging Jews’ racial inferiority, their control of the financial sector, and their role in global cabals aiming to undermine America and Western civilization. In the last thirty years, however, the ideology underlying antisemitism in the U.S. has come to encompass both sides of the political spectrum. Progressive and left-leaning movements that are critical of Israel’s policies, especially with regard to the Palestinian population, have become linked to antisemitic practices, too.
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Threats to U.S. Jewish, Arab, Muslim Communities on the Rise: DHS, FBI
Hostilities in the Middle East are reverberating in the United States, where homeland security and law enforcement officials are tracking a steady increase in threats to Jewish, Arab and Muslim communities. CBP warned that operatives with links to three U.S.-designated terrorist organizations — Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah — might try to enter the U.S. along its southern border.
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Working with Banks Around the World to Prevent Weapons Proliferation
Most banks have no interest in facilitating a risky weapons sale or contributing to instability in the global landscape. But most are either unaware of the issue or do not know how to address it. Through live and virtual events, the financial sector is learning how to avoid inadvertently facilitating illicit weapons trade.
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Gun Deaths Among Children and Teens Have Soared – but There Are Ways to Reverse the Trend
Firearm injuries are now the leading cause of death among U.S. children and teens following a huge decadelong rise. Recently published analyses found an 87% increase in firearm-involved fatalities among Americans under the age of 18 from 2011 to 2021.
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The long view
How DHS Laid the Groundwork for More Intelligence Abuse
I&A, the lead intelligence unit of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) —long plagued by politicized targeting, permissive rules, and a toxic culture —has undergone a transformation over the last two years. Spencer Reynolds writes that this effort falls short. “Ultimately, Congress must rein in I&A,” he adds.
Southport Attacks: Why the U.K. Needs a Unified Approach to All Violent Attacks on the Public
The conviction of Axel Rudakubana for the murder of three young girls in Southport has prompted many questions about how the UK handles violence without a clear ideological motive. This case has also shown up the confusion in this area, and made clear the need for a basic reframing of how we understand murderous violence against the public today.
Strengthening School Violence Prevention
Violence by K-12 students is disturbingly common. Ensuring that schools have effective ways to identify and prevent such incidents is becoming increasingly important. Expanding intervention options and supporting K-12 school efforts in Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) would help.
Memory-Holing Jan. 6: What Happens When You Try to Make History Vanish?
The Trump administration’s decision to delete a DOJ database of cases against Capitol riot defendants places those who seek to preserve the historical record in direct opposition to their own government.
Evidence-Based Solutions to Protect Against Mass Attacks
Mass attacks like the New Year’s Day incident in New Orleans stir public emotion and have tragic consequences. While the investigations into this case will take time, we know from our work that there are things law enforcement and the public can do to mitigate and perhaps stop mass casualty events.