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Barr outlines mass shootings prevention plan

Attorney General William P. Barr speaks to Kansas law enforcement officials at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center on October 02
Attorney General Bill Barr at the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center in Topeka, Kansas, this month. Photo: Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Attorney General Bill Barr outlined in a memo released Wednesday plans to adopt terrorism prevention initiatives to stop mass shootings via "forward leaning" strategies via court-ordered mental health treatment, supervision and counseling.

Driving the news: Activism around gun violence increased following the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton in August, per Axios' Neal Rothschild.

The big picture: The memo to law enforcement officials does not address the issue of gun control, but the Wall Street Journal notes Barr is exploring support on Capitol Hill for legislation on gun background checks.

  • President Trump initially appeared to support passing meaningful and aggressive legislation gun control in the aftermath of the August shootings, but he later warned of a "slippery slope" on the Second Amendment.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed multiple gun control bills into law this month to tackle the issue. Several Democratic presidential candidates have released gun control plans.

By the numbers: An August poll found 89% of those surveyed favored Congress expanding background checks to all firearm sales and transfers.

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