One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Guns Seized From Mentally Ill in Statewide Sweep
Photo by Jo Martin Pix via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
As part of a statewide effort, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced today that agents seized 1,209 guns from people who are legally barred from having them, including those who are deemed mentally unstable, people with active restraining orders and known gang members. The sweep was the second of its kind, and netted three times as many weapons as the first effort in 2007. In addition to the guns, the 99 Department of Justice agents involved in the operation confiscated 155,731 rounds of ammunition and two grenades.
No breakdown of the sweep was available; i.e., how many people who had guns seized had restraining orders and how many were mentally ill, or what was done with those found to have weapons in their possession illegally.
At any rate, the sweep was being hailed as a key step on the road to gun safety. Senator Leno, D-San Francisco, had this to say:
"Innocent lives have already been lost because we allow guns to be in the hands of known criminals, gang members and people who have serious mental illnesses. Increased confiscation of these unlawfully-possessed firearms will help prevent future crimes and result in cost savings to the state due to avoided prosecution and incarceration."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
