Anyone know how to turn in mental cases (who own guns)?

[Lloyd Blankfein]

So, I know a guy whose wife did him dirty twice. And lately he's been deteriorating and talking funny.

He just bought an AR-15 and I gotta admit, I'm now concerned. He owns quite a few other handguns and shotguns etc- but the AR is making me want to say something.

I don't wanna see him go ape shit and have people be like "well, he was crazy, blah blah."

Do you call 911? Anonymous would be best.

[Rampage]

I have never had to deal with something like this, but my first step would be to call the local police department to discuss what is going on with them and see if they could suggest an appropriate course of action. They may want the Department of Mental Health or Adult Protective Services to get involved before trying anything else.

Hopefully all goes well, man.

[Lloyd Blankfein]

I have never had to deal with something like this, but my first step would be to call the local police department to discuss what is going on with them and see if they could suggest an appropriate course of action. They may want the Department of Mental Health or Adult Protective Services to get involved before trying anything else.

Hopefully all goes well, man.

I kind of still need to have relations with him so its like.....uhh. But all these guys that been gunning people down have the same story, "the warning signs were there, but no one said anything until he blew a family/school/whatever away."

I don't jump to conclusions or anything, but I've seen this guy go downhill over a year. Like straight up falling apart like sand through fingers. To the point that I know his kids say that he stays up til 4 am just on the internet. Mood swings, narcissism, violent outbursts, etc.

I noticed he's been falling off the wagon so like I said, I kind of went and talked to the family members to see if what I'm seeing in his "friendly" life is the same as his home life, and it is.

A couple weeks ago he came out to my outfit in his truck to show me his new AR-15. I'm like that's cool. But why? "Why not? I'm ordering a bunch of big magazines and la la la from another state." I'm just sitting there adding it all up and came to the conclusion this guy who has melt downs and has lots of abstract thoughts is now a new owner of an AR-15. That's kind of scary.

I don't want to have him know I was the guy. And if mental people all of a sudden show up he'll know someone on the inside of the house or his acquaintances dropped a dime and again, we arrive at a situation where the crazy guy has a family in the house with big guns.

I thought about going over and 'confiscating' them but then again, do I want to get involved with that?

Fuck.

[JimmyPaeg]

I would say that all the warning signs are there. Diagnostically, most people who go on these kinds of rampages have just had enough after a lot of personal failures and feel the need to take it out on others with extreme violence.

If I were in your position, I would call the police.

[frumiousbandersnatch]

Yeah, I s'pose it's entirely possible he's just naturally become a paranoid schizophrenic, but I'm still betting on meth. The cops will respond faster to mass quantities of drugs than just guns (hint, hint).

[Lloyd Blankfein]

I would say that all the warning signs are there. Diagnostically, most people who go on these kinds of rampages have just had enough after a lot of personal failures and feel the need to take it out on others with extreme violence.

If I were in your position, I would call the police.

He's had a lot of personal failure lately. Like I said, had infidelity issues. Him and a friend went in on a business deal together and shortly thereafter he felt like it was going to fail, so he quit. The other dude took the ball and ran and is now quite successful with the idea. The mental guy talks about it all the time.

How would the police handle this thing do you think? They can't just seize arms and walk into a house. I'm afraid if I did say something they'd investigate and he'd ultimately exercise his rights then nothing would come of it. Then, he'd know someone is ratting him out and it might excite him or expedite his plans (if he has any).

[ovid9]

Man dude, this is rough and honestly I have no idea. My suggestion would be something along the lines of what others have said, call the local police or sheriff's office and ask there or call a mental health agency (doesn't have to be a local one) and see what their suggestions are.

Have you gently encouraged him to get some professional help? He doesn't sound like he would unfortunately, but if he would, you'd at least have enlisted the help of a professional.

This whole situation sounds awful dude and I'm sorry I don't have any really good advice to give. Props to you for at least caring enough to try and get the right people involved somehow.

[sleewell]

Rampage is right, make the call.


Better safe than sorry, all the signs are there.

[Dickarms]

i dont think LE can do anything, tbh.

also, just because someone buys an Ar doesnt meant they are a murdering psycho. if he likes firearms, like it sounds like he does, that may make him happy. and if he's got money to be buying ARs, dude hasnt hit bottom yet.

these subjects are sensitive, of course. and if he commits any crime, sure call LE. im just not so sure they can actually do anything now, and you may just complicate his life further.

[Reverse Entropy]

I'd definitely call the local PD non-emergency number and ask to talk to them about someone who is potentially violent.

Here's the "special phrase" to use when you are talking to an officer.

"I really believe he is a danger to himself and others. I felt I was in danger when I was with him."

Tell them you will be willing to make a statement to a magistrate if necessary. The magistrates are appointed "almost a judge" citizens who make sure the person is being detained lawfully. They can have the person held for a mental evaluation. In my area this is 71 hours (at 72hrs they have to release you, charge you with a crime, or get you a hearing if you are a dangerous person). The magistrate can hear your affadavit/statement and keep it anonymous. The magistrate is the one who make the decision to keep him for the mental health screening, not the cop.

[Dickarms]

if it were me: life sucks> buys rifle to cheer up. yay! > asshole neighbor calls cops > driven to violence.

just saying.

[Rampage]

if it were me: life sucks> buys rifle to cheer up. yay! > asshole neighbor calls cops > driven to violence.

just saying.

I'm calling the cops.

[indienoise]

i dont think LE can do anything, tbh.

also, just because someone buys an Ar doesnt meant they are a murdering psycho. if he likes firearms, like it sounds like he does, that may make him happy. and if he's got money to be buying ARs, dude hasnt hit bottom yet.

these subjects are sensitive, of course. and if he commits any crime, sure call LE. im just not so sure they can actually do anything now, and you may just complicate his life further.

Unless it's just that his credit limit hasn't been exhausted yet. Buying stuff =/= in good shape.

I don't know the guy, so I can't make any judgement call here. But just pointing that out.

OP, best of luck and hey, at least you care enough to be taking steps to prevent bad things from happening. Most folks would just ignore it and wait for shit to hit the fan.

[100 watt]

A week or so before last christmas, I was at the Sherrif's dept turning in some purses that I found that had been stolen. There was a man in there talking to detectives about his nut job brother, who he was worried about. (Crazy. Had guns, etc.)

[thefyn]

Try and help him before turning him in... Like telling him you are worried about him point blank etc?

Cops probably won't do shit either way. You will be A S T O U N D E D at how little they give a shit in general about maybe's and what ifs.

[marshallnoise]

I am with thefyn on this one. Plus, an AR is just a rifle. People have been buying them simply because of all the confiscation talks.

It is good you are concerned about him enough to want to call the cops and stuff, but you aren't being a true friend or business partner by simply turning him in. Talk to the guy, be real and ask if there is anything you can do to help him out in his life. Be his friend first.

Simply turning someone in you have daily business dealings with in based on manufactured media hysteria seems a bitch move.

[facefirst]

I say buy a gun and kill him before he kills you.

[GuitarBilly]

Try and help him before turning him in... Like telling him you are worried about him point blank etc?

Cops probably won't do shit either way. You will be A S T O U N D E D at how little they give a shit in general about maybe's and what ifs.

I completely disagree with this and that's pretty much the problem. People see situations like this and either do nothing or try to "help" when they have NO qualifications whatsoever to do so. You can't "pep talk" a person out of mental illness. You just can't. Period. If you are not a trained professional to diagnose and treat mental conditions, there is absolute nothing you can do about it and time is ticking before shit gets real.

If you really want to help him (and society in general) best thing to do turn him in to authorities ASAP so he can get a proper diagnose, help counseling or whatever. Most mental patients don't really know they have a condition until it's officially diagnosed, so chances are he has no clue. I don't know how it is where you live but here in Los Angeles, if you report someone to the dept. of Mental Health they WILL look into it and commit him to outpatient treatment or even to a mental institution if needed. Now that's no fun but it sure beats mass murder/suicide.

[marshallnoise]

Try and help him before turning him in... Like telling him you are worried about him point blank etc?

Cops probably won't do shit either way. You will be A S T O U N D E D at how little they give a shit in general about maybe's and what ifs.

I completely disagree with this and that's pretty much the problem. People see situations like this and either do nothing or try to "help" when they have NO qualifications whatsoever to do so. You can't "pep talk" a person out of mental illness. You just can't. Period. If you are not a trained professional to diagnose and treat mental conditions, there is absolute nothing you can do about it and time is ticking before shit gets real.

If you really want to help him (and society in general) best thing to do turn him in to authorities ASAP so he can get a proper diagnose, help counseling or whatever. Most mental patients don't really know they have a condition until it's officially diagnosed, so chances are he has no clue. I don't know how it is where you live but here in Los Angeles, if you report someone to the dept. of Mental Health they WILL look into it and commit him to outpatient treatment or even to a mental institution if needed. Now that's no fun but it sure beats mass murder/suicide.

Bill, neither you nor thefyn know if this guy is mentally ill or mentally unstable. Only the OP could possibly have a clue. I think thefyn and my reaction is due to the hysteria of mass media and people's sensitivity to the hysteria.

If this guy goes nuts and kills people in nutcase fashion, then you can hang their deaths on me.

[rear naked]

I say buy a gun and kill him before he kills you.

The first sensible idea in the entire thread

[GuitarBilly]

Bill, neither you nor thefyn know if this guy is mentally ill or mentally unstable. Only the OP could possibly have a clue.

Right. Which is why it is important to report him to someone who can actually get a proper diagnosis, one way or the other.

[Reverse Entropy]

Honestly, I'm pretty impressed by the content in this thread.

We don't all agree, but we've discussed important points in a rational manner; how to get help to the person, the ethics of acting or not acting, what things we don't know, what our capabilities are as a friend, and the hysteria surrounding the whole subject.

It says something that our little sample here isn't reflected in the national press.

[GuitarBilly]

^^^ very true.

[Harvest]

On that note, I suggest calling your Senator and Congressman and demanding that laws be put in place to outlaw being crazy.

[marshallnoise]

Honestly, I'm pretty impressed by the content in this thread.

We don't all agree, but we've discussed important points in a rational manner; how to get help to the person, the ethics of acting or not acting, what things we don't know, what our capabilities are as a friend, and the hysteria surrounding the whole subject.

It says something that our little sample here isn't reflected in the national press.

The national press rarely gets it correct or even has a pulse on the population.

And Bill, I agree, get the guy some help or lend a professional ear, but not from the government.

"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'" - RR