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Southeast Texas experts weigh in on gun violence, mental health issues

Some have blamed mental health issues, video games and media as contributing factors in mass shootings and gun violence.

BEAUMONT, Texas — In the wake of the recent tragedies in El Paso and Ohio, many are searching for answers.

Some have suggested a lack of gun control is to blame, while others blame mental health issues, the media and video games for the spike in gun violence.

Sally Broussard, the administrative director for behavioral health at Baptist Hospital, said it's a complicated issue that's difficult to get to the bottom of. 

She said the research doesn't support claims that video games cause violent behavior. 

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"They have the same video games all over the world, but they don't have the same kind of incidents with mass shootings that we do," Broussard said. 

The national debate re-ignited after President Trump condemned violent video games and social media for the recent gun violence in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio. 

RELATED: After El Paso shooting, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says video games teach young people 'to kill'

Stephen Watson, a certified firearms instructor and range safety officer in Beaumont, feels that gun violence in media is causing young people to become desensitized. 

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"If what they see doesn't affect them, then advertising wouldn't affect them either," Watson said. 

He said it's important to pay attention to any indication of mental illness. If someone talks about planning something similar, or hurting themselves or others, Watson said you need to report it. He suggests the "P3" phone app, that allows you to alert Crime Stoppers. 

"Nearly all of these cases, someone knew far in advance that someone was criminally insane and may act upon their insanity," Watson said. 

Broussard, however, said studies don't support a connection to mental illness and mass shooters. 

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"Mentally ill people are typically not violent, and most of the time violent people don't have a mental illness," Broussard said. 

She said there isn't a lot of connection between mental health and mass shooters. Broussard said the suspects tend to be young, white males. 

She said common factors seen in mass shooters are a concern, but you can't just take a statistic and lock up or evaluate every single person that meets the criteria. 

"You have to look at everything, and the whole picture. So you have to look at what is there social background...what's going on in their own lives, in their personal lives. And what have they become, perhaps, intrigued with on the internet. All of the things that are hard to pinpoint and a lot of times people can keep very secretive and we don't know," Broussard said. 

She said many factors need to be looked at when people show signs of mental illness. 

The key, she said, is to make sure that they get help as early as possible. 

Mental illness can be signaled by a change in behavior, changes at school, work or in their social lives and changes in sleep patterns or eating. 

Broussard said not to be afraid to approach them and ask what's going on.  

She also believes one of the big problems is accessibility to guns. 

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"The combination of access, the prevalence of issues that are on the internet that people can become very intrigued with, all of that, I think combines to create additional problems here," Broussard said. 

President Trump tweeted support for local legislation providing strong background checks for gun owners. 

Watson believes the background check system could use some improvement. 

"It's only as good as the information that goes into it and not all states are reporting crime and problems into the system as it is now," Watson said. 

Watson said all states and law enforcement agencies need to be contributing to the system. This will help make sure every state has the required information to prevent people from legally purchasing a firearm who shouldn't have one. 

However, Watson said the majority of firearms used for crimes are stolen. This is why it's essential to make sure your firearms are secure, he said. 

"It's horrific, I'm deeply grieved, and that's why during high emotional times it's difficult to think rationally about these issues, but I constantly give thought to how can people be safer and more responsible with firearms. In fact I've committed myself professionally to that end," Watson said.  

He said one of the things we can all do is support local law enforcement, and their efforts to prevent bad guys from getting firearms. 

This can mean volunteering both time and money, and participating in community events pertaining to the prevention of these violent acts. 

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