Several left-leaning corporate media outlets have stated, “Stop blaming mental illness for mass shootings” and “Mental illness is not to blame for shooting massacres.” Even the progressive non-profit, Common Dreams, wrote, “Targeting Mental Illness Will Not Prevent Mass Shootings.”

Could the solution to preventing some of these tragic shootings lie in enhancing mental health resources for those in need? Even suggesting that mental health plays some role in a mass shooting appears controversial.

This viewpoint should be reconsidered after the San Antonio Express-News reported that the 17-year-old cousin of the gunman responsible for the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in 2022 was arrested on Monday in what appears to be a ‘mental health crisis’ after threatening to shoot up a school and family member.

An arrest affidavit states that Nathan Cruz’s mom “reported the suspect planned to ‘do the same thing’ as his cousin.” He also threatened to shoot another sister in the head, Cruz’s mother told police. His sister believed it was a credible threat “due to the recent history of their family and the suspect’s knowledge of his cousin’s actions.”

But Salazar said her mom called the police because she was concerned about the threats to his sister, not because he threatened to shoot up a school.

“The only thing my mom was trying to do by calling the cops was to get him help. He needs mental help. He doesn’t need to be locked up,” Salazar said. — San Antonio Express-News

Progressive media often highlights the call for increased gun control while ignoring the conversation on mental health. Take a look at Statista data showing mass shootings in the US between 1982 and July 2023, by the presence of prior signs of the shooter’s mental health issues.

On the gun policy side, Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs for Gun Owners of America, stated:

The headline should read, “Texas stops mass shooter without ‘red flag’ law or new gun control.”

The decision to arrest and charge this dangerous individual, rather than leaving him at large in society to commit a mass act of public violence, is the best way to handle the situation and doesn’t involve any new or unconstitutional gun laws. Anyone calling for more gun control after this incident must clearly believe that our existing gun laws—barring those under 18 from purchasing firearms and the new under-21 background check system—don’t work and aren’t effective public safety tools.

The crux of the matter is that mental health should be a topic of discussion, not ignored. Moreover, existing gun laws prohibited the 17-year-old from legally possessing a firearm. Also, enforcing stricter gun control will only penalize law-abiding citizens.

Read more at Zero Hedge