Good morning, Bulletin readers. We begin this week with a look at one potential solution to armed white supremacists considering acting on their hate; immediate impact from our watchdog reporting on ghost guns and social media platforms; and a recap of the ways in which gun violence marred end-of-school celebrations this weekend.
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WHAT TO KNOW TODAY
NEW from THE TRACE: One state’s plan to make violent white supremacy grounds for gun removal. Among a slew of gun violence prevention bills signed by Governor Jay Inslee of Washington in early May was an amendment to its red flag law, which allows for the temporary removal of legally purchased firearms from persons who are deemed a threat to themselves or others. The change specifies that judges should consider whether a troubled gun owner has been convicted of “malicious harassment,” a category that includes behaviors like burning crosses and defacing property with swastikas. Alex Yablon digs into how the provisions could give the state a tool for disarming violent extremists before their hate turns deadly.
Hours after we reported on a user posting ghost gun how-to videos on YouTube, the social media giant banned his account. On Friday, senior investigative fellow Sean Campbell reported on the proliferation of tutorials showing users how to make untraceable DIY guns — including many posted by a self-proclaimed libertarian user with the moniker Ivan The Troll — despite a policy that explicitly prohibits such content. About two hours after publication, YouTube banned Ivan’s account and told The Trace: “We have strict policies that prohibit videos containing instructions on how to manufacture firearms, including 3D-printed guns. We quickly remove videos violating our policies when flagged by our users.”
A Columbine survivor who was open about his struggles with trauma and addiction was found dead over the weekend. Wounded during the 1999 shooting, Austin Eubanks became addicted to the painkillers doctors prescribed to help cope with his injuries. After completing rehab, Eubanks began advocating for broader access to addiction treatment, as well as gun reform. On Saturday, Eubanks was found dead at his home in Steamboat Springs. He was 37.
Beto O’Rourke is calling for universal background checks and “no more loopholes.” In an op-ed in The Houston Chronicle on Saturday, the presidential candidate spoke about hearing from young people — including his own 8-year-old son — who are afraid of being gunned down in their classrooms. He proposes a series of policies aimed at preventing mass shootings: a national red flag law, banning assault rifles, and boosting funding for the Centers of Disease Control in order to further research the causes of gun violence.
The Minnesota man who brandished a gun at Somali teenagers must relinquish his firearms and spend 45 days in jail. In November, Lloyd Johnson pulled his gun on teenagers in a McDonalds after one called him out for using racist language. He apologized in court, saying, “[I] was hungry, impatient and I acted out wrongly.” Johnson must also undergo a mental health evaluation, perform community service, and pay a fine.
At least 18 people were wounded and one was killed at end-of-school celebrations across the country:
- Eight people were injured and one was killed at a graduation party at a community center in Atmore, Alabama, around 2 a.m. on Saturday. At least one person was still shooting when police arrived.
- At another graduation party across the state, two 18-year-old men were shot and wounded in Eufaula, Alabama.
- Seven people were injured, three seriously, when gunfire broke out at a house party near Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. A 19-year-old has been arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder, though at least one other person may have opened fire at the residence early Saturday.
- An 18-year-old was injured in a drive-by shooting in Jonestown, Mississippi while she was at a graduation party, just hours after she received her high school diploma.
ONE LAST THING
An artist built a wooden temple to memorialize Parkland victims. Last night, he set it on fire. Community members helped David Best complete the Temple of Time in the weeks before the first anniversary of the shooting in February. Since then, locals have passed through to show their respects and write messages of love and support on the installation’s walls. Last night, families of three of the victims helped Best light the ceremonial flames that ignited the structure. The building was part of an art therapy project, with four more installations to go up in Parkland and nearby Coral Springs, Florida, over the next few years.
