Federal law provides a way to prevent potentially dangerous people from getting firearms -- such as the student who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech on April 16. 2007. But Alaska today is in the same status as Virginia was at that time -- it does not participate in the optional part of the program that forbids handgun sales to people determined to be a threat to themselves or others. Now some Alaska legislators are proposing to draft a law preventing gun sales to mentally ill individuals.Dave Donaldson, APRN - Juneau
NOTE: Our audio report cites 37 killed in the Virginia Tech shootings this past April. The actual number is 32. We apologize for the error.