{"id":191036,"date":"2023-08-31T10:53:19","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=183887"},"modified":"2023-08-31T10:53:19","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T14:53:19","slug":"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: &#8216;The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Jacksonville_Sheriff-1024x741.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-183889\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(<em>Photo: News4Jax<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>By Larry Keane<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time:  <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">5<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-baker-act\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\" data-level=\"2\">Baker Act<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-florida-s-red-flag-law\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\" data-level=\"2\">Florida&#8217;s Red Flag Law<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-nssf-committed-to-real-solutions\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\" data-level=\"2\">NSSF Committed to Real Solutions<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-sheriff-waters-tells-the-truth\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\" data-level=\"2\">Sheriff Waters Tells The Truth!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The jarring news of a racist attack against African Americans at a Dollar General Store in Jacksonville, Fla., is igniting calls for increased gun control legislation. The despicable attack on innocent lives deserves close examination. The firearm industry mourns this senseless loss of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Authorities are releasing some information as to the murderer and his twisted motivation. These initial answers, though, raise more questions. The murderer, whom NSSF will not name, killed three people in his attack before taking his own life. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/08\/27\/us\/jacksonville-florida-shooting-sunday\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>told media<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;he legally purchased two firearms in recent months, passing background checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheriff Waters also told media the murderer painted Nazi symbols on one of his firearms and&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/jacksonville-sheriff-releases-images-weapon-bearing-swastikas-dollar-general-shooting\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">authored<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;several manifestos and a suicide note. The manifestos were delivered to the murderer\u2019s parents, federal law enforcement and media shortly before the crimes. The Department of Justice is&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/attorney-general-merrick-b-garland-statement-jacksonville-shooting\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">investigating<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;the incident as a hate crime, as it evidently appears to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPortions of these manifestos detailed the shooter\u2019s disgusting ideology of hate,\u201d Sheriff Waters\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wtxl.com\/what-we-know-about-the-florida-dollar-general-store-shooting\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">explained<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0in the press conference. \u201cThis shooting was racially motivated, and he hated black people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The media (CNN, New York Times, etc.) ignores the sheriff&#39;s stance on individual responsibility in the recent shooting this weekend at the Jacksonville Dollar General.<br \/><br \/>It didn\u2019t fit their anti-gun narrative. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OtQ9GvpZEF\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">pic.twitter.com\/OtQ9GvpZEF<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NRA\/status\/1696210139181658271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">August 28, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-baker-act\">Baker Act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheriff Waters also told media that the murderer was subject to a Baker Act mental health evaluation in 2017. That \u201cinvoluntary commitment\u201d to a hospital under Florida\u2019s Baker Act resulted in the murderer being held for a 72-hour mental examination following a domestic violence incident and threatening to commit suicide. He was released without involuntary commitment. It is unclear why he was not held for further observation. As a result, he was&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politifact.com\/factchecks\/2013\/jan\/25\/mike-ryan\/do-police-automatically-return-guns-someone-after-\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>not considered<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;a \u201cprohibited person\u201d under federal law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Florida\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ufhealth.org\/baker-act\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>Baker Act<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;is a law that allows&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.15thcircuit.com\/sites\/default\/files\/court-admin\/mental-health\/baker-act-flyer-6.10.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>any individual<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;to petition for an involuntary commitment to provide emergency mental health services and temporary detention of those impaired by a mental illness and unable to determine their own treatment needs. The Florida law was enacted in 1972 and those subject to an involuntary commitment are considered likely to inflict harm on themselves or others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Baker Act requires law enforcement to seize any firearm or ammunition, along with concealed carry permits, that might be possessed by those subject to the order. The Baker Act has been\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/drugandalcoholattorneys.com\/baker-act-lawyer\/my-firearms-rights-when-a-baker-act-is-involved\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">invoked<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0at least 2,500 times as of 2019 in Florida. The murderer, it appears, didn\u2019t possess any firearms or ammunition at the time he was involuntarily committed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-florida-s-red-flag-law\">Florida&#8217;s Red Flag Law<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2018, Florida enacted a \u201cred flag\u201d law. Had it been in place at the time the murderer was committed for observation under the Baker Act it might have prevented the murderer from obtaining or possessing firearms. By 2022 Florida\u2019s \u201cred flag\u201d law has been used over\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.actionnewsjax.com\/news\/local\/floridas-red-flag-law-used-nearly-9000-times-date-254-times-duval\/6Z74OOSF25CLFEMUIERDRCSXLU\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>9,000 times<\/strong><\/a>. That law allows authorities to seize firearms temporarily and bars individuals from purchasing firearms while they\u2019re subject to the emergency risk protection order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/ny-ammo-control-law-will-punish-high-school-clay-target-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">NY Ammo Control Law Will Punish High School Clay Target League<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What is clear is that this individual suffered some sort of mental health disorder with violent tendencies. The result is the tragic loss of innocent life. Sheriff Waters said the murderer\u2019s parents did not own firearms. The murderer\u2019s parents called law enforcement immediately after they were alerted by the murderer as to his intentions. There was at least one acquaintance&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstcoastnews.com\/article\/news\/crime\/socially-awkward-kid-pretty-introverted-people-describe-man-who-murdered-three-black-people-racially-motivated-jacksonville-shooting\/77-4b66fd00-aeb9-4b80-af10-6499bc02673a\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>who told media<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;he believed the murderer was on medication but didn\u2019t specify an illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-nssf-committed-to-real-solutions\">NSSF Committed to Real Solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This tragedy is exactly why the firearm industry is focused on ensuring that all disqualifying records are submitted to the FBI\u2019s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). NSSF has championed the&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/NSSF-factsheet-FixNICS-State-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">FixNICS\u00ae<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;campaign since 2013 to ensure the background check system works as intended. So far, the law has been changed in 16 states and in Congress when the FIX NICS Act, named for NSSF\u2019s program, was passed and signed into law. That provided resources to states to submit all disqualifying data to the FBI\u2019s NICS and compelled federal agencies to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NSSF further supports additional mental health resources being made available and supported Congressional efforts to do that in recent laws. NSSF&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/safety\/suicide-prevention\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">partners<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide ranges and retailers the resources they need to recognize the signs of mental distress of suicidal ideations. These aren\u2019t all the answers, but these are&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssfrealsolutions.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>Real Solutions\u00ae<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;that make our communities safer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More is certain to be learned as investigators examine evidence left behind by the murderer. What is known is that the murderer clearly was filled with hatred and the firearm retailers that sold the firearms followed all the laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sheriff-waters-tells-the-truth\">Sheriff Waters Tells The Truth!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"RAW VIDEO: Sheriff T.K. Waters provides update after mass shooting at Dollar General on Kings Road\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JYucfyzoWQg?start=20&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheriff Waters described the recovered manifestos as \u201cquite frankly, the diary of a madman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe was just completely irrational,\u201d Sheriff Waters&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/deadly-shooting-florida-store-race-washington-king-51edd341db7fe2374cb69970840ef76f\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">said<\/a>.<\/strong>&nbsp;\u201cBut with irrational thoughts, he knew what he was doing. He was 100% lucid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sheriff Waters also rejected the media\u2019s assertion that firearms are specifically to blame for the horrendous crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad,\u201d Sheriff Waters&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/florida-sheriff-investigating-racially-motivated-dollar-general-shooting-challenges-anti-gun-narrative\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\"><strong>said during a press conference<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cThis guy\u2019s a bad guy. If I could take my gun off right now and lay it on this counter, nothing will happen. It\u2019ll sit there. But as soon as a wicked person grabs ahold of that handgun and starts shooting people with it, there\u2019s the problem. The problem is the individual.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Larry Keane\u00a0<\/strong><em>is Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs and General Counsel for the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nssf.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\">National Shooting Sports Foundation<\/a>, the firearms industry trade association.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong><em>*** <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\" title=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: 'The story\u2019s always about guns. It\u2019s the people that [are] bad'\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica!<\/a> ***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cPortions of these manifestos detailed the shooter\u2019s disgusting ideology of hate,\u201d Sheriff Waters\u00a0explained\u00a0in the press conference. \u201cThis shooting was racially motivated, and he hated black people.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":183889,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[244,25,240],"tags":[132,607],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-191036","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-2nd-amendment-r2kba","8":"category-current-events","9":"category-this-week","10":"tag-buzz","11":"tag-news"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters\u00a0told the media this week that the story is always about the gun but it&#039;s the individual that&#039;s bad.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/jacksonville-sheriff-tells-truth-about-tragedy-the-storys-always-about-guns-its-the-people-that-are-bad\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Jacksonville Sheriff Tells Truth About Tragedy: &#039;The story\u2019s always about guns. 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