Lawmaker says TAPS Act can stop future massacres

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Two American atrocities in the space of two days.

In a nation deeply divided over gun rights, there is another path to public protection gaining support.

"If it's good enough for presidents, diplomats, celebrities, and members of Congress, it's good enough for Americans," said Rep. Brian Babin, a Republican whose district stretches from Houston to Port Arthur.

Babin is referring to the Threat, Assessment, Prevention, and Safety Act, TAPS for short.

Simply put the measure would fund and equip local law enforcement agents with the same predictive tools and resources pioneered by the U.S. Secret Service using advanced behavioral science.

"These killers, whether they use a gun, a weaponized vehicle, a knife, a home-made bomb, whatever the case, they give off signals. They don't just do this on an impulse," said Babin.

He says the science and resources offered through TAPS would flag would be attackers.

"It's been used very effectively at the federal level we just have to get it down to the local and state law enforcement," said Babin.

Prior to this weekend's mass bloodshed, Babin's bill had 114 cosponsors in the House, a third of the membership including Democrats Sheila Jackson Lee and Lizzie Fletcher along with Republicans Kevin Brady and Dan Crenshaw.

"Far too often there are patterns of behavior that should set off alarm bells, but the warnings go unheeded. Our country is failing to connect the dots, resulting in the murder of innocent Americans," said Crenshaw.

Houston's Police Chief Art Acevedo tells FOX 26 he has written a strong letter of support for the TAPS Act and believes it can help save lives.

"A systematic and evidence-based process in identifying individuals who are exhibiting patterns of concerning behavior indicating an interest, motive, intention or capability of carrying out an act of violence and implementing intervention strategies is key to prevent future tragedies," said Acevedo.

"This is something we can do now. We don't have to wait," said Babin who believes additional gun control measures would be ineffective.