Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume proposes bill that would identify potential mass shooters
Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume proposed a bill to Congress to help identify potential mass shooters.
The Identifying Mass Shooters Act directs the National Institute of Justice of the Department of Justice to lead a study and analyze the digital footprint of past mass shooters to potentially help identify people looking to become mass shooters.
"Just as if someone was outside of our house screaming out that they are going to rob us, we would take action," Mfume said. "I think many of these individuals who have previously been mass shooters, and unfortunately are trying to become mass shooters, are screaming out through social postings, digital postings, creating a digital footprint that could suggest that there is a real chance of possible violence."
Every post, every click, every share is a permanent marking on the internet.
Past mass shooters have turned to the internet to disclose their intentions.
Congressman Mfume said this is not a surveillance bill.
This is looking at the records of current mass shooters to look for patterns or identify an algorithm to suggest who could be the next mass shooter.
"This is not the end all be all, but all of us have to do something," Mfume said. "There are better ideas than I have. Once we start doing that, we can put together an approach that speaks more to saving lives than mourning lives that continue to be lost by these vicious, violent people."
