Officials stress community reporting to prevent mass shootings

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- With more than 300 mass shootings reported across the United States this year, San Diego County law enforcement leaders are urging the public to help prevent future attacks before they happen.

Sheriff Kelly Martinez joined other top officials Tuesday to emphasize the importance of community reporting and interagency coordination when it comes to stopping mass shootings.

“There is no region in the country where law enforcement works more closely and collectively than here in San Diego County,” Martinez said.

Martinez pointed to the 2019 Chabad of Poway synagogue shooting — in which a gunman killed one woman and injured three others, including an 8-year-old girl — as an example of how multiple agencies can respond swiftly and effectively.

“The sheriff’s office responded and ultimately investigated the homicides and assaults in that case,” Martinez said. “San Diego police contacted and arrested the suspect, and the FBI responded in support of investigating the hate crimes involved.”

Officials said the San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center — known as a fusion center — plays a key role in both investigating and preventing mass casualty incidents.

“All of our task force officers are working together as a team to identify these types of situations,” said Roy Frank, the center’s director. “We get about 500 tips and leads on school threats, and most of those come from school teachers, students and parents. The parent network is absolutely outstanding.”

District Attorney Summer Stephan said nearly all school shootings are planned in advance.

“Ninety-three percent of school shootings are preplanned — they are not random events,” Stephan said. “But a more compelling statistic is that 80 percent have told someone about their plan, but that person didn’t tell the right people — the ones who could have stopped it.”

Stephan and other officials urged residents, especially students and family members, to speak up if they notice concerning behavior.

“Sometimes family members notice something is off, know something is wrong, but are afraid to report because they don’t want to get their loved one in trouble,” Stephan said. “But the reality is, there’s irreversible trouble if violence happens. You cannot turn the clock back.”