Santa Monica gunman was mentally evaluated

[onehandle]

Source: AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Santa Monica, Calif., gunman who killed five people last week was hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation in 2006 after police found bomb-making materials at his home.

Police searched the house where John Zawahri lived with his father after the teen made repeated violent threats against students, teachers and campus security officers at Olympic High School, retired police officer Cristina Coria, who helped execute the search warrant, said Tuesday.

Coria said she didn't know what was found at the house or the outcome of that mental evaluation. Oscar de la Torre, a member of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified school board told The Associated Press that police had discovered bomb-making materials at the home.

snip...

Many questions remained for returning students as investigators examined how Zawahri had access to an assault-style rifle, an old revolver and 1,300 rounds of ammunition that he'd carried with him.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/santa-monica-gunman-mentally-evaluated-001352018.html

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Ask Wayne LaPierre how he had access to an assault weapon.

[nomorenomore08]

1. I'd consider the "violent threats" part a lot more worrisome than the "psychiatric treatment" part.

On the one hand, even being pro-gun-control in general, I'm not sure that having say, a history of mild to moderate depression, should bar a person for life from gun ownership - I think that places further unnecessary stigma on mental disorders. On the other hand, a history of threatening others should certainly be a barrier to purchasing or owning firearms. Kind of a no-brainer, really...