October 27, 2022 – In Breaking News – The Guardian

The 19-year-old suspect who killed a teacher and a 15-year-old student in a shooting spree at a St Louis high school on Monday had the assault rifle he used confiscated by police just days before his attack.

The St Louis police commissioner has confirmed that shortly before the school shooting, officers were called to the man’s home by his parents, who were worried about him and wanted the AR-15-style rifle removed.

“The mother at the time wanted it out of the house,” the commissioner said.

(Two people were killed and seven others injured by an armed suspect in a shooting at a St. Louis, Missouri, high school, authorities said. The suspect was shot and killed by police inside the school. The two deceased victims, one adult, and one teen were not immediately identified. Courtesy of LiveNOW from FOX and YouTube. Posted on Oct 24, 2022.)

A police statement obtained by the St Louis TV station KMOV records that officers took the view the teenager was lawfully permitted to possess the weapon despite substantial evidence of troubled behavior.

His family told police they had arranged for the teen to be treated for mental health issues, had put him on medication, and had even overseen a stay in a mental health institution.

It appears police arranged for the rifle to be taken away by a “third party known to the family”, but that the teenager took it back. It is not known how he regained possession, though St Louis police have confirmed it was the gun used in Monday’s deadly attack.

(St. Louis police say the 19-year-old school shooting suspect left a ‘manifesto’ behind after the deadly attack. Two people were killed, seven others injured in the school shooting. Courtesy of LiveNOW from FOX and YouTube. Posted on Oct 25, 2022.)

Sack said the family “made every effort that they felt that they reasonably could. I think that’s why the mother is so heartbroken over the families that paid for his episode”.

The tragedy in St Louis underlines the difficulties with the implementation of so-called “red flag” laws which seek to take guns from individuals wrestling with mental health and other problems.

(St. Louis authorities reveal that the 19-year-old gunman who killed a teacher and a student at his alma mater had a long history of mental health struggles, and his family tried to get help. Courtesy of ABC News and YouTube. Posted on Oct 26, 2022.)

In June, Congress passed the first significant gun control bill in almost 30 years. It included tighter background checks on people aged 18 to 21 trying to buy guns, involving a review of mental health and juvenile records held by state and local law enforcement.

In the St Louis case, KMOV said police were called to the shooter’s house at least six times. Two of the call-outs were in July, for an accident and a suicide attempt.

“Last year, police were called to the home three times, including for something involving a weapon. Another call was for the Crisis Response Unit,” KMOV reported.

(Alumni from Central Visual and Performing Arts High School supported those mourning the loss of 15-year-old Alexzandria Bell and 61-year-old Jean Kuczka. Courtesy of FOX 2 St. Louis and YouTube. Posted on Oct 27, 2022.)

Continue reading… St Louis school shooting suspect had gun confiscated days before attack

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Kate Schweit’s ‘STOP THE KILLING’ at 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Luncheon

American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

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In addition, the First 100 Registered Attendees to the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Ceremony and Banquet will receive a complimentary autographed copy of ‘STOP THE KILLING: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis‘ by the former head of the FBI’s active shooter program, Katherine Schweit.

Ms. Schweit offers insight into what we can do to end the active shooter crisis plaguing America.

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The 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Ceremony and Exclusive Luncheon Banquet will be held on Wednesday, November 16th, 2022, from 12:00 pm through 2:30 pm at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City!

Special Guests include our Keynote Speaker Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) Diane J. Sabatino of the Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and representatives from CBP, Legendary Police Commissioner – and 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Person of the Year Award Winner William J. Bratton, NYPD’s Finest Chief of Department Kenneth Corey.

Also, Frank Russo of CBP New York and additional members of CBP will be in attendance, plus Kym Craven, Executive Director for National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), and the 30×30 Initiative, as well as team members from NEC National Security Systems (NSS), representatives from the DHS Federal Protective Service (FPS), Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the CISA Interagency Security Committee (ISC), and Executive Leadership including Director Shonnie Lyon from the DHS Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM), the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Assistant Director Celinez Nunez from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

Chief Richard Blatus, FDNY Acting Chief of Operations, Chief Joseph Jardin, and Chief Frank Leeb of the New York City Fire Department have been invited to recognize the FDNY, as well as members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and the U.S. Coast Guard.

In addition, we have representatives from the NYC Hospital Police invited this year, as well as John McDonald, COO for the newly formed National Council of School Safety Leadership, and Kenji Okuma, Crisis Center Director for the Sandy Hook Promise National Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, nominated by Katherine Schweit (former FBI and author of ’STOP THE KILLING: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis‘; Michael Breslin of LexisNexis and Tom O’Connor of FedSquared Consulting, nominated by Professor Dean Alexander; John Shehan, Vice President, at the Exploited Children Division of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC); the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program; John Muffler, Principal at Aequitas Global Security; InfraGard National Members Alliance. the San Diego Harbor Police, Women in International Security Global; and Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) (rail safety advocates), and many surprise guests still to be announced.

Your ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon registration includes complimentary attendee access to ISC East, the Natural Disaster & Emergency Management Expo (NDEM EXPO), and the 33rd ASIS NYC Expo

The United States forever changed on September 11th, 2001, and we were fortunate to have many of those who responded to those horrific tragedies join us at our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon.

In the days that followed 9/11, the critical need to protect our country catapulted us into new and innovative ways to secure our homeland – which is how many of the agencies and enterprise organizations that are today ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champions, came into being.

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The 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by New PLATINUM SPONSOR:   NEC National Security Systems (NSS),

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In 2021 over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State, and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms gathered from across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields, which included:

• The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

• ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI)

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• The Federal Protective Service (FPS)

• Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)

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ISC East is the Northeast’s leading security & public safety event, hosted in collaboration with premier sponsor Security Industry Association (SIA) and in partnership with ASIS NYC.

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Qualified professionals who register for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Banquet Luncheon, will receive complimentary access to all three events.

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The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old-school basics to what is Today – a fast-changing security landscape.

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To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, please see the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2021 ‘A Year in Review’.

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It also includes featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders, and recognized firms in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.

• For a complete list of 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winners, begin HERE.

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Menu Set and VIP Guests Registering for 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon