Paul Ryan says there are "laws on the books" to help prevent gun violence
Speaker Paul Ryan, in his weekly press conference, said there are already laws on the books that need to be enforced to help prevent situations similar to the shooting at the high school in Parkland, Florida, Wednesday.
"One thing we know is if there are early indications for mental illness, I think we probably have to do a better job of making sure people don't slip through the cracks.
Asked if law enforcement should be able to confiscate guns from someone displaying signs of mental illness, Ryan said,"This is not the time to jump to some conclusion not knowing the full facts. We've got a lot more information we need to know. But if someone who is mentally ill is slipping through the cracks and getting a gun, because we have laws on the books — we have a system to prevent people who aren't supposed to get guns from getting guns — and if there are gaps there, then we need to look at those gaps." Ryan also emphasized the importance of addressing mental illness, in light of laws already on the books.
Law enforcement believes 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, who is in custody, is behind the deaths of 17 students on Wednesday. Many more are injured.