California Attorney General Rob Bonta met with San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott and San Diego Chief of Police David Nisleit Tuesday to highlight San Diego's use of Gun Violence Restraining Orders to curb gun violence.
The Gun Violence Restraining Order, which went into effect in January of 2020, is a tool provided by California's red flag laws. It allows people and police to seek a restraining order that would remove firearms from someone who is a potential threat to themselves or others.
Earlier this month, Bonta released the 2020 data on firearms sales statewide, which showed handgun sales increased 65.5 percent from 2019 to 2020. The data also revealed there was an increase in domestic violence-related calls to police and murders.
"We are seeing a rising level of gun violence," Bonta said at the meeting.
"We know that were increases and spikes in purchases and guns and we know that everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, in their neighborhoods, in their schools, in their workplaces, and their places of worship. Unfortunately, too often and too many times, we have seen tragic and horrific examples where that is not the case."
Bonta recommended using red flag laws like the gun violence restraining order to stem the growing tide of gun violence.
"If we can do something that is common sense and lawful and constitutional to keep people safe, we ought to," Bonta said.
In 2020, 37 percent of the state's restraining orders that temporarily removed guns from individuals were issued in San Diego County.
According to Elliot, there is plenty of warning when people may be a danger to others.
"These cases come to us from people who are working and are in situations where somebody is making statements that perhaps they’re gonna shoot up their workplace," Elliot said.
"We will see social media posting from children who are going to school and are threatening to kill their classmates. Of course, we see our fair share of intimate partner violence and family violence."
Elliot also noted the pandemic played a huge role.
"The pandemic was notable because a lot of people were on edge and we saw a tick in suicide threats," she added.
San Diego Chief of Police David Nisleit called the order a "proactive tool."
"Our job is to make certain that we use every single tool available to remove the firearm before somebody gets hurt," he said.
Bonta praised San Diego's success with using red flag laws, saying the city has been leading the way to keep people safe.
"San Diego is really the epicenter of red flag laws working to keep people safe," he said.