Albuquerque city councilors are moving forward with a gun regulation they said will help prevent a mass shooting from happening in the city

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REPORTER: IT WAS A PACKED ROOM WITH DOZENS OF PEOPLE SPEAKING TO ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILORS ABOUT WHAT THEY CALL A RED FLAG REGULATIONS. THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE BOTH FOR AND AGAINST IT, BUT COUNCILORS PASS IT. 4-2. AFTER MORE THAN AN HOUR OF PUBLIC COMMENT, ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS DISCUSSED A RED FLAG ORDINANCE IN WAKE OF THE RECENT MASS SHOOTINGS, ONE IN EL PASO, TEXAS, A NEIGHBORING CITY. >> WE REALLY DO NOT WANT ANOTHER EL PASO. REPORTER: MEANING THAT IF A PERSON WHO’S KNOWN TO HAVE A DISORDER OR IS SHOWING BEHAVIOR THAT WOULD INDICATE THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE A GUN, LAW-ENFORCEMENT OR PEOPLE IN THE SAME HOME OF THAT PERSON CAN GO TO A STATE DISTRICT COURT AND ASK THAT THE PERSON’S FIREARM BE TEMPORARILY TAKEN AWAY. >> WE ALL ARE CAPABLE OF TERRIFYING VIOLENCE. REPORTER: A REPRESENTATIVE WITH ' ‘MOMS DEMAND ACTION' AGREED WITH A RED FLAG REGULATION TO PREVENT SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. >> OUR HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING IN RIO RANCHO THIS FEBRUARY WAS TYPICAL, AND THAT THERE WERE CLEAR WARNINGS SIGNS BEFORE IT HAPPENED. REPORTER: OTHERS WEREN’T CONVINCED. >> I FIND THIS AMUSING BECAUSE THERE’S BEEN PLENTY OF HISTORY TO SHOW THESE TYPES OF LAWS DON’T STOP ANY VIOLENCE OR GUN VIOLENCE. REPORTER: SAYING A RED FLAG REGULATION WOULD INFRINGE ON SEVERAL OF THEIR RIGHTS. >> THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE 6TH AMENDMENT, THE 5TH AMENDMENT, THE 14TH AMENDMENT. THERE IS ZERO DUE PROCESS. REPORTER: THE CITY, UNDER STATE LAW, DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ENACT ANY FIREARM REGULATIONS, BUT CITY COUNCILORS SAY THE REGULATION WOULD ENCOURAGE STATE LAWMAKERS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A RED FLAG LAW. A SIMILAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION DID NOT MOVE FORWARD IN THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. NOW THAT THE CITY HAS PASSED THIS, IT’S UP TO STATE LAWMAKERS TO PICK IT UP AND GET

Advertisement City lawmakers want state to revisit "Red Flag" gun ordinance Albuquerque city councilors are moving forward with a gun regulation they said will help prevent a mass shooting from happening in the city Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Albuquerque city councilors are moving forward with a gun regulation they said will help prevent a mass shooting from happening in the city. They voted four to two after more than an hour of public comment. Councilors and community members discussed a "Red Flag" ordinance, in wake of the recent mass shootings, including one in El Paso, Texas, a nearby city."We really don't want another El Paso to happen," said Albuquerque City Councilor Isaac Benton.The "Red Flag" ordinance states: if a person is known to have a disorder or is showing behavior that would indicate they should not have a gun, law enforcement or people in the same home of that person, can go to a state district court and ask that the person's firearm be temporarily taken away temporarily."We all are capable of terrifying violence," said a concerned community member.A representative with Moms Demand Action agreed with a "Red Flag" regulation to prevent school shootings."Our high school shooting in Rio Rancho, this February, was typical and that there were clear warnings signs before it happened," she said.Other speakers weren't convinced."I find this amusing because there's been plenty of history to show these types of laws don't stop any violence or gun violence," said a community member.Some said the regulation would infringe on several of their rights."This is a violation of the Sixth Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, the 14th Amendment, There is zero due process," said a woman who spoke against the regulation.The city, under state law, does not have the authority to enact any firearm regulations, but city councilors said the regulation they passed would encourage state lawmakers to move forward with a "Red Flag" law. A similar piece of legislation did not move forward in this past legislative session. It's now up to state legislators to pick it up and get the ball rolling. Albuquerque city councilors hope that other cities in the state will pass the same type of regulation.