JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In the days since the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, we have found out both gunmen may have shown signs of violence beforehand.
Now, President Donald Trump has suggested "red flag laws like what we have in Florida could help."
The law allows a judge to order someone to give up a firearm.
Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson believes it can help prevent shootings.
"Reasonable people know this. Even people who are suffering from mental conditions shouldn't have guns," said Carson.
But local attorney and gun rights advocate Eric Friday feels differently about it.
"If these people are so dangerous that we're taking away their gun rights why are they still out on the streets?" Friday mentioned.
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The law went into effect last March after the Parkland school shooting.
In January Action News Jax Investigates found there more than 700 risk protection orders issued across the state. Since then, that number has doubled to more than 1,700.
"And the result is it will become something all states embrace because they see the utility in it," explained Carson.
Action News Jax requested the number of risk protection orders from law enforcement agencies across Northeast Florida.
When Action News Jax first told you about Florida's red flag law last year, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office had petitioned for three risk protection orders. It has issued a total of 67 risk protection orders since then.
In Clay County, the agency reported there were no risk protection orders in January, but new numbers show the agency has issued a total of three.
We asked the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, and it told us it issued two this year with one currently under review.
Friday believes there should be more transparency when a risk protection order is issued.
"We don't know whether or not if these risk protection orders are really necessary," Friday said.
Carson says the law works and the numbers show it.
"It's telling me two things, first that the general public knows the law exists and they're no longer frightened to call the police and have the police exercise that law, but it also tells me that there are many people in our communities who are suffering mental trouble," said Carson.
If the Florida statute is violated, it's considered a third-degree felony and is punishable by up to five years in state prison.
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