Jacksonville Landing Shooter Had Been Hospitalized TWICE For Mental Illness

It’s not a gun problem. It’s a cultural problem. It’s a bureaucratic problem. It’s a MENTAL HEALTH problem.

According to this, the Jacksonville Landing shooter– who was identified as a competitor in the Madden NFL 19 tournament– was hospitalized twice for mental illness, yet he was able to legally purchase two handguns in Maryland.

Divorce filings from Katz’s parents reveal that he was hospitalized twice in psychiatric facilities and “was prescribed antipsychotic and antidepressant medications.”

#BREAKING Court records: Man accused of killings at video gaming competition had been hospitalized for mental illness https://t.co/yfoEXaDD9I pic.twitter.com/q39dJDFpUg

— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) August 27, 2018

Again. He did NOT purchase the guns in Florida.

When buying the weapons, the 24-year-old Baltimore man would have been required by federal law to disclose whether he was ever involuntarily committed to a mental institution.

In addition, in Maryland, where Katz purchased the weapons, state police require gun buyers’ consent for a state health agency to disclose whether they suffer from a mental disorder, have a history of violent behavior or have been confined for more than 30 consecutive days to a mental health facility.

The AP adds that “Katz’s hospitalizations may have occurred before the Maryland Legislature revamped the state’s firearms laws following the 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech.”

There is no federal requirement for psychiatric hospitals or courts to report involuntary commitments to the FBI for inclusion in the database used for gun-purchase background checks.

All of this is horrible all around. So to everyone blaming Florida’s gun laws, CRAWL OUT immediately.