In certain states, there are laws in place that allow police or family to petition a court to take away weapons from individuals who threaten harm to themselves or others. Colorado is one of the 19 states with this red flag law in place. So why wasn’t it used to potentially prevent the Colorado club shooting that left five people dead?

Host Robin Young speaks to KUNC reporter Leigh Paterson for a look at how Colorado enforces this law.

Despite being in place in 19 states, red flag laws are barely used to remove weapons from individuals that have the potential to harm themselves or others. Social epidemiologist Veronica Pear, who researches police attitudes toward red flag laws, gives a broader look at how these laws work and why police decide to use — or not use — them.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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