Sister of Maine mass shooting victim calls lawmakers' 11th-hour bid for red flag law 'nefarious'

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The sister of one of the victims of the deadliest shooting in Maine history accused lawmakers of acting "nefariously" by pressing at the 11th hour of the legislative session for a so-called red flag law that could be used to take away guns from someone experiencing a psychiatric crisis. Others, however, said such a law could have saved lives.

Testimony stretched into a second day as a legislative committee heard public testimony Tuesday on the proposal that aims to let family members or others petition a judge to initiate the process of temporarily removing someone's guns during a psychiatric crisis instead of letting police handle the process under the state's existing "yellow flag" law.

Jill Walker, a licensed clinical social worker whose brother Jason was killed during the mass shooting, delivered an impassioned plea for lawmakers to reject the proposal. She said the yellow flag process is adequate, if used properly.