Governor Gretchen Whitmer says she would support a “red flag” law to allow law enforcement to seize firearms from someone who is deemed a risk.
When asked about the topic, Whitmer said more can be done to prevent mass shootings by murderers who use rapid-fire, high-capacity firearms. She says that includes identifying people who pose a risk of violence and getting a court order to seize their guns. She says the prospect is frightening.
“It could be a question of time, not a question of whether or not Michigan has to confront something like we’ve seen play out in Ohio and Texas, and I don’t even like saying that out loud,” she said. “We have to be mindful of the fact that there are improvements I think that we can make with regard to gun safety and policy here in Michigan, and I want to see if we can find some common ground.”
There are several bills before a state House committee that would make it easier to take guns from people deemed a risk to themselves or others, but are considered unlikely to move under a Republican-controlled Legislature.
Whitmer says she’d still like to go to work to adopt some version of a “red flag” law once the state budget and a plan to pay for roads are adopted.
