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NRA Spox Asks Sheriff Why He Didn’t Follow Up On School Shooter

CNN

Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch lit up Broward County (Fla.) Sheriff Scott Israel Wednesday for apparently missing the school shooter’s litany of red flags.

WATCH:

Sheriff Israel said that there is a possibility his office made a “mistake” in its evaluation of the school shooter who killed 17 people, but argued that law enforcement around the country needs more power to be able to involuntarily treat people who are mentally ill.

“In Florida, we call it a Baker Act. It allows us to take an individual to be, against their will, involuntarily, to go to a mental health facility and be treated,” Israel explained.

Loesch questioned how the shooter apparently did not meet that standard.

“Thirty-nine visits not meet that standard? 39 visits, assaulting students, assaulting parents, taking bullets and knives to school did not meet that standard?” she questioned.

Israel asked what incident she was talking about specifically, and Loesch pointed to threatening messages he allegedly sent to classmates telling them he would murder them.

“They were threatened with death. They were threatened that they were going to plea — bleed. They were threatened that they were going to be killed,” Loesch told Israel. “He had already taken bullets and knifes to school. He had already assaulted people. He had assaulted his parent. He had assaulted other students. 39 visits. And this was known to the intelligence and law enforcement community.”

Israel tried to side-step the issue, telling Loesch she is not the “litmus test” for law enforcement and arguing that her “39” number was incorrect.

“You have to follow up on these red flags,” she asserted.

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