Nevada laws did trigger mental health holds before NYC shooter’s rampage

By Brittany Sheehan  

Nevada News and Views

Last week, there was a terrible shooting in New York City. A young man from Las Vegas drove across the country and killed four people in a Manhattan office building. Right away, liberal politicians started blaming Nevada’s gun laws. They said our state made it too easy for dangerous people to get weapons.

But here’s what really happened. And it shows our laws actually worked the way they were designed to, even though the tragedy still occurred.

The Real Story Comes Out

New documents from the Las Vegas police tell a different story. Shane Devon Tamura, the 27-year-old shooter, had serious mental health problems. His own mother called 911 twice because she was scared he might hurt himself.

In September 2022, Tamura was holed up in a Las Vegas motel, threatening to kill himself. His mother was so worried she called police. “I was just in the apartment with him, and he started crying and slamming things,” she told the 911 operator. “He told me he couldn’t take it anymore.”

Police took this seriously. They filed an emergency petition to have him committed to a mental health facility. That’s exactly what our laws are supposed to do when someone is in crisis.

They did it again in August 2024. Police were so worried about Tamura that they asked to have him committed a second time. They wrote that if he was left alone, he would “cause serious injury to himself or death.”

Nevada’s System Identified the Problem

This shows something important that the critics missed. Nevada’s mental health laws actually flagged this young man as dangerous. Not once, but twice. The system worked like it was supposed to work.

When someone gets placed on a 72-hour mental health hold in Nevada, it goes on their record. Police can temporarily take their guns away. That’s exactly what happened with Tamura in August 2024.

The problem is these emergency holds don’t last forever. After 72 hours, unless a court officially declares someone mentally incompetent, they get their rights back. That includes the right to own guns.

The Liberal Blame Game Misses the Point

New York Governor Kathy Hochul immediately tried to blame Nevada after the shooting. She said our “weak” gun laws let Tamura buy weapons and drive them to her state.

But the facts tell a different story. Tamura bought his rifle legally from his boss at the casino where he worked. The gun had been legally purchased by that supervisor. Nevada requires background checks for private gun sales, just like federal law requires.

More importantly, Nevada’s system actually identified Tamura as someone who might be dangerous. The police tried to help him. They followed the law. They used the tools they had.

Why This Matters to Conservatives

This case shows the challenge we face with mental health and public safety. Nevada’s laws did what they were designed to do. They got Tamura help when his family asked for it. They temporarily removed his access to weapons when he was in crisis.

But our system can’t force adults to get long-term treatment unless they’re an immediate danger. And that’s actually important for protecting everyone’s rights.

Tamura left notes saying he blamed the NFL for brain injuries from playing high school football. He was angry and sick and needed help. The tragedy is that even when the system tries to help, sometimes it’s not enough.

What the Critics Won’t Admit

Liberal politicians want to use this tragedy to pass more gun control laws. But look at the facts. New York already has some of the strictest gun laws in America. It didn’t prevent this shooting.

Governor Joe Lombardo said it best: “I think it still boils down to the operator versus the weapon, and the fact that we have a lack of mental health services in the United States in total.”

That’s the truth. The problem isn’t Nevada’s laws. The problem is that we don’t have enough long-term mental health resources anywhere in America.

Nevada Is Doing Its Part

Our state isn’t ignoring this problem. Governor Lombardo signed Senate Bill 347, which lets police temporarily take guns from people who are placed on mental health holds. The guns get returned when the person is released, unless police get a court order.

This balances public safety with constitutional rights. It’s a measured approach that respects both.

Nevada also has a “red flag” law that Democrats passed in 2019. The law allows family members to ask judges to temporarily remove guns from dangerous people.

The Real Issue

Four innocent people lost their lives last week. That’s a tragedy no law could have prevented once Tamura made his decision to drive to New York.

But the story isn’t that Nevada’s laws failed. The story is that they actually worked as designed. They identified someone in crisis. They got him help. They temporarily restricted his access to weapons.

The failure was in not having enough resources for long-term mental health care. That’s a national problem, not a Nevada problem.

Looking Forward

Conservatives need to keep pushing for better mental health care while protecting our constitutional rights. We can’t let liberal politicians use every tragedy to attack our freedoms.

When they try to blame our gun laws for violence, remind them of this case. Nevada’s system actually identified the problem and activated. The real challenge is building better long-term support for people who need it.

That’s where we should focus our efforts.

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Brittany Sheehan is a Las Vegas-based mother, policy advocate and grassroots leader. She is active in local politics, successful in campaign work and passionate about liberty.