According to an AP article published June 6th, 2023, a coalition of 11 survivors and family members are seeking upwards of $160 million dollars from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office. The shooter in the November attack at Club Q, Anderson Aldrich, was arrested in 2021 for making credible death threats towards family members. The sheriff's office seized two weapons at the time, but Aldrich was later permitted to purchase and own weapons again after the court case was dropped. Victims, family members, and gun control activists are now questioning why the sheriff's office neglected to place a "red flag order" on the 23 year old.
In the state of Colorado, red flag orders are known as "Extreme Risk Protection Orders", through which individuals that are a danger to themselves or others are prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or being given a firearm. "Red flag" or extreme risk protection orders have been central in the gun control debate for years. Many mass shooters do not have extensive criminal records, but do have a history of disturbed behavior and/or threatening violence towards others. Victims, activists, and concerned citizens question why local police forces have been unable or unwilling to enact these orders. Co-authors Elinson and McWhirter discuss these Red-flag laws in their upcoming book, as well as in previous WSJ articles and podcasts - found below: