Oregon should help families keep guns away from loved ones in crisis (Guest opinion)

By Jenna Yuille

Nearly five years ago, when I was just 23 years old, my mother was murdered while Christmas shopping at the Clackamas Town Center here in Oregon. Four years later, I never could have guessed that I would also lose my father to a crisis most Americans don't even realize exists. A crisis that every day, on average, takes the lives of 58 Americans: the devastating epidemic of firearm suicide.

I knew my dad wasn't doing very well, but I didn't know how I could help him. On July 18, 2016, he went to a gun shop and purchased the gun that he would ultimately use to take his own life.

Since that horrible day, I often ask myself the same questions I did after my mom was murdered: Why did this happen? What could be changed to help other families from experiencing a similar tragedy?

Research shows that people experiencing a crisis are much more likely to die by suicide if they have easy access to guns. Nationwide, more than 60 percent of all gun deaths are from suicide, and 85 percent of suicide attempts that involve firearms turn out to be fatal. These statistics illustrate just how important it is to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who are experiencing a mental crisis.

Family members are often the first people to know when their loved one is struggling.  But current Oregon law makes it nearly impossible for law enforcement to remove a firearm from an individual in crisis. Fortunately, the Oregon Legislature is considering a bill that would change that. The bill, Senate Bill 719, would give families and loved ones an opportunity to petition a judge for an Extreme Risk Protection Order, which temporarily prohibits a person in crisis from possessing or purchasing firearms or ammunition.

In 1999, Connecticut became the first state to pass a similar law and they've seen life-saving results. In the first 14 years of its implementation, police issued 762 orders, which helped save dozens of lives.

Do you remember the shooting in Isla Vista, California? In May 2014, a young disturbed man went on a violent rampage near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus. Before the attack, the shooter's family noticed the young man was exhibiting dangerous behavior. The police briefly interviewed him, but they had no legal authority to intervene. Three weeks later, he killed six people and injured 14 others before taking his own life. In response, California turned devastation into action - and has since passed a law similar to the one we're considering in Oregon, which could prevent the next Isla Vista.

Oregon is a national leader in reducing gun violence, and passing an Extreme Risk Protection Order law will highlight Oregon's commitment to addressing gun suicides.

Every morning, I wake up to the harsh reality that my father is no longer here. No person should ever have to bury a loved one from gun violence. No person should ever be saddled with the question: "What could have been done to prevent this?"

It's too late to save my father's life, but the commonsense solutions that I am pushing for may someday save the life of someone you love. That's why it's so important for our elected leaders to act now.

Jenna Yuille is the engagement manager at Americans for Responsible Solutions, an advocacy group and political action committee.

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