Go to ‘extreme’ & disarm fiends

ALBANY — A coalition of gun control advocates and state lawmakers are urging the Legislature to quickly pass legislation that would make it easier to keep firearms away from dangerous individuals.

Following the massacre of 17 students in Florida, the group said it’s urgent that New York adopt a bill giving judges the power to issue “extreme-risk protection orders” that would block individuals considered likely to harm themselves or others from possessing or purchasing guns.

“Following the massacre, it was discovered that there had been evidence that the shooter had demonstrated a pattern of dangerous behavior prior to the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High,” the group wrote in a letter to legislative leaders.

“We cannot change the events of Feb. 14, but we do know that a policy exists that could help prevent such a tragedy in New York,” they continued.

Under the proposed measure, family members or law enforcement could petition a court for an order which, if granted, would allow officers to temporarily confiscate firearms and prevent the purchase of additional weapons by those deemed at risk of causing harm to themselves or others.

The person would then be given the chance to challenge the order in court.

“Extreme-risk protection orders save lives — it’s that simple,” said state Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan), a sponsor of the bill.

The measure was approved by the Assembly last year but has stalled in the GOP-controlled Senate.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (RSuffolk County) did not respond to a request for comment.

Among the groups calling for the law’s adoption are New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, the Citizens Crime Commission of New York City, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety and the Giffords Law Center, which was founded by former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, after she was shot in a 2011 gun rampage.

“The extreme-risk protective order is a critical tool that will help law enforcement officers and families keep guns out of the hands of someone experiencing a crisis,” said Nico Bocour, state legislative director for Giffords.

“The recent tragedy in Florida has reminded us that we need to do more to provide resources that allow for intervention and stop these individuals from using a firearm to hurt themselves or others.”