Hearing Wrap Up: Preventing Violence in America

Washington, D.C. - On Tuesday, March 20, 2018, the Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations Subcommittee held a hearing on “Preventing Violence in America: An Examination of Law Enforcement Information Sharing and Misguided Public Policy.” Witnesses at this hearing discussed lapses in information sharing between local and federal law enforcement, as well as public policy guidance that limits the ability of law enforcement officers to enforce the law and prevent violent crimes. Background: 

• On February 14, 2018, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz brought a weapon to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and killed 17 students and staff.
• Despite several tips given to local and federal law enforcement, warning signs noticed by mental health professionals and school administrators, Cruz avoided a criminal record, and his case was closed by the FBI prior to the Parkland shooting.

Hearing Takeaways: 

• The FBI did not adequately investigate tips describing Cruz’s violent behavior, and did not share information with local law enforcement or school officials that could have assisted in preventing Cruz from bringing a gun to school.
• Despite numerous warnings about Cruz’s behavior, local police—Parkland Police Department and Broward County Sheriff—never arrested Cruz or adequately investigated tips.
• Evidence also shows that Cruz benefitted from a new disciplinary approach by the Broward County School system, in which Cruz was never taken into custody or expelled for his violent actions.
• This guidance issued by the Obama Administration on eliminating the “school-to-prison pipeline” allowed Cruz to escape accountability for his actions and keep his criminal record clean, which allowed him to pass a background check that enabled him to purchase a firearm.

Important Moments from the Hearing:Chairman Goodlatte: “Our nation’s safety depends on law enforcement at all levels seamlessly sharing information, but that information is only as good as what is documented and entered into systems. When information is inaccurate or missing, or derogatory information is not generated because of misguided public policy, the ability of law enforcement to protect us is severely impaired.” WATCH.Subcommittee Chairman Sensenbrenner:“This was a preventable tragedy. And it was a preventable tragedy because law enforcement missed a whole lot of tips that Nikolas Cruz was a bad person and actually put up on the internet the fact that he wanted to become a professional school shooter. There have been misguided policies where people who are disruptive at school end up not being arrested or charged with a misdemeanor, even though that’s what they’ve committed. And nothing gets put on their record.” WATCH.Representative Gowdy: “Any time you have a hearing title that has the word ‘preventable’ in it, I think we owe it to American citizens to discuss the limitations of our justice system.” WATCH. Representative Rutherford: “That is exactly what concerns me: when law enforcement collaborates with school boards to not enforce the law.” WATCH. Actions: 

• Last week, the House of Representatives passed the STOP School Violence Act, which provides enhanced training, technology, and coordination with law enforcement to identify and respond to threats in educational facilities.
• At the request of House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich briefed Members of Congress on the FBI’s handling of the Parkland shooting.