We can talk all we want about identifying the mentally ill and not allowing them to have firearms, but when a guy like this has been in contact with the law enforcement system multiple times and no one identifies him as needing help much less making sure he does not have access to firearms, is our talk anything more than lip service to make ourselves feel good?

In order to have a system that works, we have to have rational laws and a widely known process for checking up on these people. We don't seem to have that process, and I think part of the problem in developing one is the distrust between both sides of the gun ownership issue. We need to come to an understanding that, yes, guns exist and will never go away, that the vast majority of gun owners are not only responsible, but good patriotic people, and that there definitely are a very few individuals who should never have a gun.  Now let's talk about how to accomplish that without taking everyone's guns away.