Kids as young as 8 have been issued red-flag gun orders in Florida

The Blaze – by Nate Madden

Proponents of “red flag” gun confiscation laws argue that they’re a helpful tool for law enforcement to keep firearms away from people who pose a clear danger to themselves or others. But what about when they’re used against kids too young to buy a gun in the first place?

According to a report at WFTX-TV, the Sunshine State’s new confiscation law has been used to take away the gun rights of almost 2,500 of people in the state — and at least 100 of those were children. According to the station’s investigation, some of those kids were as young as 8 years old. 

In Polk County alone, 20 of the 400 confiscation orders were issued against children.

One 15-year-old got an order to stay away from guns for a year as a result of a verbal threat made in a fight at school. “He doesn’t even have a gun,” the teen’s mother said. “He doesn’t have a BB gun. He don’t have nothing but you can’t just say the word ‘shoot.'”

And despite the fact that these are minors, “red flag” orders are filed in open court, opening the information up to the public.

Under “red flag” confiscation laws, courts can order guns taken away from people deemed to be a serious public safety risk and prevent them from buying guns.

Then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed the state’s current gun confiscation law last year weeks after the Parkland Shooting rocked the state. However, nobody under the age of 21 can buy a gun in the state of Florida due to another statute contained in the same legislative package raising the minimum rifle purchase age.

So why are Florida’s kids getting hit with “red flag” orders?

Polk County Judge Bruce Smith attributed the number of orders against children to “the aggressive nature of our sheriff’s department.”

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told the outlet that the orders are meant to serve as a message to parents. “First, it’s to put the parents on notice that you got to do a really good job at securing your firearms, so your children can’t get to it,” Judd said, “and number two, it’s putting the parents on notice about your kid’s got an issue here.”

(H/T: Bearing Arms)

The Blaze