The Washington Free Beacon on Tuesday reported that Anthony McRae, the gunman in a mass shooting at Michigan State Monday night, would have been prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm but for the decision of a progressive prosecutor to dismiss previous charges against him.
McRae, who police say killed three people and wounded five others in a violent spree that ended when he took his own life, was charged in June 2019 with illegally carrying a concealed weapon, according to the Free Beacon.
The Ingham County District Attorney at the time, Carol Siemon let McRae plead to a lesser misdemeanor gun charge, and he served a little more than a year of probation.
He could have faced up to five years in prison, but Siemon opted for the “restorative justice” approach, which emphasizes softer penalties for criminals.
As a result, McRae was not prohibited from purchasing or owning a firearm.
This is not the first time an act of gun violence could have been prevented using existing gun control measures.