Opinion | All firearms out in public should have visible trigger locks

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

A few weeks ago, former U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger made us aware of a terrifying “new wave” of evil, nihilistic violent extremists, who “find amusement in the finger pointing that often follows a tragic shooting” (Strib Voices, Oct. 19). Luger’s commentary urges us to add this threat to the still very real threats from terrorists who believe they are using violence to further a “societal goal.” Great.

This evil should not have taken me by surprise. Before joining the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General earlier this year, I spent more than five years in the Forfeiture Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. My work centered on returning criminal proceeds to victims. But the other big part of my job was permanently getting firearms out of the hands of criminals. Unfortunately, I saw very little meaningful removal of illegal firearms from the streets.

On June 14 an individual carried out political assassinations in Minnesota with his arsenal of firearms. Before news broke of these murders, my family was planning to attend the No Kings peaceful protest at the State Capitol. The man was still at large on the day of the protest, and my family had to weigh the risks of going to the Capitol. We decided it was important to go, and we did, but we had to be hyper-alert and had to talk to our kids about what to do in the worst-case scenario. Then, on Aug. 27 another individual terrorized Annunciation Catholic Church and parochial school, murdering two children and injuring another 28 people.

So, what do we actually do in response? The political debate seems to have polarized narrowly between an assault weapons ban on the one hand and security-hardened schools and mental health suggestions on the other. Yes to both. Based on my experience, I would like to propose one way we could come together as a civil society to stop evil from taking advantage of us.

It is worth knowing first the system that we have. In the U.S., we give firearms rights. When a criminal uses a firearm, the firearm can be taken off the streets, and out of the criminal’s hands, only if the firearm is proven, by a preponderance of evidence, to be “involved in or used in” a violation of certain federal laws. If any part of criminal’s arsenal is not “involved in or used in” a violation, then it cannot be taken off the street. Once convicted, a felon may be “prohibited” from possessing a firearm and, indeed, such possession becomes an additional criminal offense that the government could charge. But the reality is that criminals often have easy access to all but the firearm they used in their original offense.

The free ride should be over. All firearms out in public, on our city streets, should have visible trigger locks. Just like with the adoption of seat belts, firearm safety culture can make this adjustment. And, like with DUIs, failure to responsibly transport a trigger-locked firearm should be enforced with civil penalties and possible forfeiture of the firearm. The moral community should be empowered to enforce this. The public should be educated on what these trigger locks look like and should be asked to report anytime they see a firearm without one. Firearm retailers can help by selling every firearm with a trigger lock, and requiring it be engaged as an individual walks out of their store. Quick reporting of an unsecured firearm or of an individual unlocking their firearm on our city streets, could give law enforcement an earlier warning of when evil is about to strike.

A firearm culture that prioritizes safety and moral responsibility could also reap benefits in the broader community. Firearms that are locked could be less likely to be stolen. We also know that an act of violence is often impulsive, even for someone who has been ideating violence against themselves or others for a long time. Anything that we can do to change the culture around firearms, to slow down the move from ideation to action, could help lessen public violence and suicide. Disengaging a trigger lock, as little time as it might take, could be enough to conquer the impulse and save a life.

For more common-sense legislative ideas and to share your ideas, please visit mnfirearmlegislation.com.