LOS ANGELES, CA – The relationship between gun violence and mental health is complex. At Tuesday night’s town hall at Spectrum Networks in El Segundo, participants discussed different factors and solutions for what might be a public health crisis.
- Town hall discusses potential public health crisis
- Tackling relationship between gun violence and mental health
- LA: Under the Gun – addresses growing gun violence concerns
One firearms seller wanted to make sure his voice was heard.
"I'm going to give you a little demonstration," said Dimitri Karras, as he raised an orange toy gun into the air. "Nobody stopped me. Nobody did anything. I had this with me the whole time. This could be real. Who in here could stop me if this were real? What is the one things that could save your life if I was up to no good?"
Karras’ actions stunned the room as he made his point. He was among the subjects of Spectrum's Original Documentary LA: Under the Gun. The film addressed growing gun violence and mental health concerns.
"We guard our president with men with guns. We guard everything that’s important to us except our children with men with guns," Karras said.
Karras served as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan and now helps run Firearms Unknown, a gun shop in Oceanside. It offers all parts needed to build a gun, rifle, or assault weapon.
"I’m part of the demographic that’s notorious right now for suicide and these other sorts of issues," Karras said.
He also argues taking guns out of the hands of the mentally ill will only make the problem worse. He has seen his fellow servicemen avoid seeking treatment for fear of losing their 2nd Amendment rights.
"It’s not going to help with the suicide rates. It’s going to increase them. It’s not going to help with any sort of a violence issue at all. It’s just going to increase it because now people who would get help aren’t going to because you’re punishing them for doing so," Karras said.
Not many in the room Tuesday night shared his views, but Karras was glad he could at least share his opinion.
"When there’s an immediate threat in front of you, you don’t have time to wait for the police. You don’t have time to wait for anything else. You need to be able to respond to that threat instantly," Karras said.
While Karras felt the conversation seemed one sided, Raygena Smith said she enjoyed the discussion, walking away with some powerful information.
"I was very impressed and distraught at the same time, especially seeing the video footage and hearing different things going around the LA area," Smith said.
As for Karras, a self-proclaimed libertarian, he is sticking to his guns, whether people like it or not.
"I’d like to live in a world where a gay married couple can protect their marijuana farms with fully automatic weapons," Karras said.