Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Monday ordered federal prosecutors to "swiftly and aggressively" enforce laws against people who lie to thwart background checks, one of several initiatives Justice Department officials announced as part of its plan to improve school safety following a mass shooting at a Florida high school one month ago where a gunman killed 17.
"No child should have to fear going to school or walking the streets of their neighborhood," Sessions said in a statement.
"We are increasing the number of school resource officers, improving background checks, and more aggressively prosecuting those who illegally attempt to purchase a firearm, and reviewing and enhancing the way our law enforcement agencies respond to tips from the public. Under my tenure as Attorney General, we have already increased federal gun prosecutions to a 10-year high — and we are just getting started. With these new measures in place, we are better positioned to disarm criminals and protect the law-abiding people of this country."
Additional actions included:
- The hiring of more school resource officers.
- Support for firearm and situational awareness training to school and law enforcement personnel.
- An increase in violent crime prosecutions.
- Proposed regulation on bump stocks that would prohibit sales of the devices.
- Providing $1 million in emergency grant funding to the State of Florida to offset overtime costs related to the mass shooting.
- Strengthening partnerships with state and local law enforcement.
- Directing the FBI to identify local jurisdictions that are not reporting arrests.
- Improving access to state mental health and domestic violence records.
Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock had 12 rifles with bump stocks on the night he killed 58 people. Bump stocks allow a shooter to fire a semiautomatic weapon as though it was an automatic weapon.
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