It’s become a common refrain after high-profile mass shootings: could red flag laws have prevented this?
On the books in less than half of US states, red flag laws vary from place to place but generally require that people who are deemed a threat to themselves or others turn over their guns for a certain period of time. While research shows they lead to significant drops in firearm suicides, and may also have prevented dozens of mass shootings, the concept is frequently rebuffed by Republican politicians, who say they infringe on due process rights.
