Regarding the recent shooting of an admired Las Vegas police officer and the resulting shooting/suicide of the suspect, something has gone very wrong here.
The assailant, Angel Tywan Lucas Lindsey, appears to have carefully planned this event, including his own death. He had an extended magazine for his handgun and plenty of ammunition. He was a skilled shooter.
The role of his parents must be addressed. Were they aware that he, with mental health issues and possibly suicidal, owned and practiced using a firearm? Colin Gray in Georgia was sentenced to 15 years for providing a gun to his son, a convicted killer.
Had Lucas Lindsey received a diagnosis and treatment for a mental disorder? Was he taking psychotropic medication at the time? Was he wrestling with issues of gender dysphoria/sexual identity? We cannot deny that this is an increasing factor in such incidents.
What can friends and family do when they suspect a person is a danger to himself and the community? When is it legal, indeed compassionate, to temporarily confiscate firearms and/or incarcerate that person, and what treatment and facilities are available for that?
If we as a community cannot discuss these issues with objectivity, empathy and respect for the law and the Constitution, we can expect more of these tragic events.
