Isn’t gun violence a mental health problem, which requires a mental health solution?

Suggesting that mental health is a driving factor of this country’s gun violence crisis is inaccurate. Research has shown that most people with mental illness are not violent—they are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence. While we must do better to help and support those living with a mental health condition, our weak gun laws enable easy access to guns by people with a demonstrated history of dangerous behavior, and we need a tool to temporarily remove access to firearms from those in a time of crisis. That’s what Extreme Risk laws do: empower family members or law enforcement who recognize warning signs of future violence—which often have nothing to do with mental illness—to take action before it’s too late.