>> "DONNYBROOK" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION, AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.

>> A SOMBER THURSDAY IN ST. LOUIS AFTER THE INCIDENT AND TRAGEDY ON THE CAMPUS MONDAY, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THAT AND SOME OTHER TOPICS AS WELL TONIGHT ON "DONNYBROOK."

WE'LL START OFF WITH WENDY WIESE, HOW ARE YOU DOING, OKAY.

BILL MCCLELLAN -- BILL OLIPHANT SITTING IN FOR BILL -- FOUNDER RAY HARTMANN AND JASON ROSENBAUM I'LL START FIRST.

ON MONDAY MORNING MY DAUGHTER TEXTED ME AND SAID DAD WE'RE IN LOCKDOWN.

AND I HAD NOT HEARD YET AND I'M LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND HER SCHOOL IS LESS THAN A MILE FROM CVPI AND JUST BROUGHT IT HOME THAT IT'S ALWAYS SOME PLACE ELSE, IT WAS WITHIN A MILE OF WHERE MY DAUGHTER WAS TEACHING AND SHE'S LOCKED DOWN WITH PRESCHOOL KIDS.

IT JUST BROAD A SADNESS TO MY HEART.

SHE WAS SAFE.

BUT LET'S GO AROUND THE TABLE AND GET YOUR THAT'S ON WHEN YOU HEARD AND WHAT YOUR FIRST THOUGHT WAS.

>> I WAS ACTUALLY ON EASTBOUND 44 HEADING INTO THE OFFICE ABOUT 10 AFTER 9:00, MINUTES AFTER IT HAPPENED.

SAW ABOUT FIVE POLICE CARS FLYING WEST ON 44, TO THE KINGS HIGHWAY EXIT TO GET OFF TO GO TO OLD SOUTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL.

BEING A POLICE REPORTER FOR MANY YEARS, I DIDN'T REALLY GET THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THREE OR FOUR CARS WILL RESPOND TO AN ACCIDENT OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

I DIDN'T GO MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE, ANOTHER FIVE CARS ARE FLYING, SO I CALLED IN AND SAID THERE'S GOT TO BE SOMETHING GOING ON OUT MY WAY.

AND CALLED OUR POLICE REPORTER, HEARD THE SAME THING, WAS ALREADY IN HER CAR HEADING TO THE SCENE.

SO BY THE TIME I GOT DOWNTOWN, WE HAD TWO REPORTERS THERE RIGHT BEHIND THE POLICE, AND I DIDN'T HEAR UNTIL I GOT INTO THE OFFICE THAT IT WAS A SCHOOL SHOOTING.

AND I GUESS I HAD THAT SAME THING OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU ALWAYS THINK, WELL, IT COULDN'T HAPPEN HERE, BUT IT COULD.

>> JASON, YOU WERE ON THE STORY PRETTY MUCH AS SOON AS IT STARTED.

>> YES, I WAS ON CHEROKEE STREET LEAVING THE MUD HOUSE AFTER MEETING WITH DUTCH PUBLIC TELEVISION REPORTERS, THEY WENT ON TOWN TO DO SOMETHING ON MISSOURI'S ABORTION LAW.

AND I LOOKED AT MY PHONE AND SAW THAT THERE HAD BEEN A SHOOTING.

WHAT IT BROUGHT TO MIND IS, AS A 38-YEAR-OLD, AN OLDER MILLENNIAL , 9/11 HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE IRAQ WAR HAPPENED WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, THE FINANCIAL COLLAPSE HAPPENED IN 2008.

AND THEN THERE'S BEEN THESE OTHER HORRIFIC SCHOOL SHOOTINGS IN TEXAS AND FLORIDA.

AND THIS REALLY BROUGHT HOME THAT THESE SORT OF EVENTS THAT SEEM VERY FAR AWAY BUT STILL AFFECT YOU CAN HAPPEN VERY CLOSE TO YOU AND CAN AFFECT PEOPLE THAT YOU TALK TO EVERY DAY.

AND I THINK THAT ALL THESE TRAGEDIES HAVE HAPPENED THROUGHOUT A LOT OF MILLENNIALS' TIME LINES.

AND THERE IS A RISK OF BEING DESENSITIZED TO ALL THIS HORRIFIC VIOLENCE AND TRAGEDY.

AND I THINK THIS REALLY BRINGS INTO FOCUS THAT THESE TYPE OF THINGS ARE REAL AND THEY'RE NOT JUST THINGS YOU SEE ON THE TELEVISION.

>> WENDY?

>> I WAS SITTING IN THE OFFICE AT THE RADIO STATION AND I WAS LISTENING TO MCGRAW SORT OF DOING A BLOW BY BLOW DESCRIPTION OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS HAPPENING.

AND I JUST HAD THE STRANGEST REACTION, LIKE YOU GUYS DO, IT WAS THAT SORT OF SURREAL SUSPENSION WHERE TIME WAS JUST SORT OF STANDING STILL, AND I KEPT THINKING THIS IS A MISTAKE, THIS IS A MISTAKE, IT'S BEING MAYBE OVERREPORTED.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A BIG THING.

AND AS EVERYTHING BECAME KNOWN, I WAS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, JUST THAT REALITY, FEELING LIKE SOMEBODY IS SHAKING YOU BY YOUR SHOULDERS SAYING, YEAH, IT DOES HAPPEN IN YOUR BACK YARD.

>> I WAS AT HOMEWORKING AND IT CAME ACROSS AND I THINK THE PARENTAL NUMBNESS YOU GET, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY.

OBVIOUSLY THE FACT THAT IT'S CLOSE TO HOME, YOU KNOW, IT AFFECTS YOU A LITTLE, BUT REALLY THAT PART OF IT, THINKING ABOUT THIS IS, WE HAVE ENOUGH PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW, BUT OBVIOUSLY THE MAIN CONCERN IS THAT WITHOUT MUCH FACTS I WAS HOPING AND PRAYING, JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

I HAVE TROUBLE WATCHING THE ACCOUNTS OF IT.

ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST THIS ONE.

>> I AGREE WITH THAT.

>> I JUST HAVE TROUBLE WATCHING IT, I JUST DO.

>> I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT, A LOT OF REPORTERS COVERING THE STORY ARE GOING THROUGH DAY REALLY DIFFICULT TIME.

THIS IS A TRAUMATIC EVENT AND I WOULD JUST SAY TO MY JOURNALISTIC COLLEAGUES THAT THERE IS A TIME WHEN YOU NEED TO TAKE TIME AWAY FROM THIS JOB AND TAKE STOCK IN YOUR MENTAL HEALTH.

IF I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT MORE WHEN I WAS COVERING FERGUSON, I THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT BETTER OFF.

SO NOT THAT SOMETIMES WE -- SOMETIMES OUR STORIES WITH BE ALL CONSUMING.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANT TO MENTION.

>> ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT.

YOU MENTIONED THE POLICE, HEROIC, SHOWED HOW TO BE DONE, DID NOT CARE ABOUT THEMSELVES, WERE THERE TO SAVE EVERYBODY IN THAT SCHOOL.

IT TURNED OUT THAT THEY DID JUST THAT.

AND THERE'S JUST NOTHING, THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF THANKS YOU CAN GIVE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ENTERED THAT BUILDING, CONFRONTED THE ASSAILANT AND TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM.

WE CAN SAY WHAT WE WANT TO ABOUT THE POLICE AND WE MIGHT HAVE SOME PROBLEM HERE OR SOME PROBLEM THERE, BUT THAT'S THEIR DUTY AND THEY DID IT, AND JUST THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> IT REMINDED ME OF WHEN I INTERVIEWED SOMEONE FROM THE ST. LOUIS AREA WHO WAS IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN 9/11, AND I SAID WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER AS YOU WERE DOING IT.

HE SAID ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE REMEMBERED THAT STRUCK HIM WAS AS HE FINALLY MADE IT TO THE GROUND FLOOR AND WAS RUNNING OUT OF THE BUILDING, HE SAID HERE WERE THESE COPS AND FIREFIGHTERS RUNNING IN.

AND I THOUGHT HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

THANK GOD THAT THERE WERE POLICE OFFICERS WHO DID RUN INTO THAT BUILDING.

AS AWFUL AS IT IT'S, AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE.

SO A BIG THANK YOU TO THE ST. LOUIS POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR GOING IN LIKE THEY DID.

>> AND STAFF FOLLOWED EVERY PROCEDURAL RULE APPARENTLY AND THAT HELPED.

DRILLS AND THEY DID IT RIGHT.

WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, WHO KNOWS HOW IT'S GOING TO TURN OUT.

BUT I THINK WE DO HAVE PROOF POSITIVE THAT ALL THOSE DRILLS AND ALL THOSE TRAININGS AND ALL THE LOVE FOR KIDS THAT STAFF HAVE AND PARENTS HAVE -- I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT CHOKED UP, I MEAN, IT SAVED LIVES.

>> WHAT REALLY STRUCK ME, OBVIOUSLY, I'D AGREE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT A CONTRAST IT WAS TO UVALDE, JUST AMAZING WORK ON EVERYBODY'S PART.

BUT THAT TEACHER, THAT TEACHER, I'M SORRY -- >> NANCY CREWS -- >> YES.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE SOMETIME, I CAPTAIN IMAGINE ANYBODY DYING WITH MORE HEROISM AND COURAGE THAN THAT LADY.

>> I NEED TO POINT THIS OUT.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT THERE ARE STILL TWO PEOPLE DEAD, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE INJURED, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE TRAUMATIZED UNDER THIS SITUATION.

AND AND THAT'S WHY THIS WHOLE SITUATION I THINK UNDESENSITIZES PEOPLE.

BECAUSE ONCE YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY HURTING, IT MAKES YOU FEEL SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN SOMETHING THAT'S FAR AWAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S THE MENTAL HEALTH ASPECT, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW IN MANY CIRCLES AROUND OUR REGION.

AND NOT REPORTEDLY, I GUESS THIS IS FACTUAL, THE SHOOTER'S FAMILY TRIED TO GET HIM MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES TO HIM.

THEY WATCHED OVER HIM.

THE INTERIM POLICE CHIEF SACK WAS SAYING THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD, BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

SO HOW DO WE MATCH UP TAKING SOMEONE MAYBE OFF THE STREET OR DOING MORE THAN JUST SAYING, LIKE, HEY, ARE YOU OKAY, GETTING HIM AWAY FROM HURTING HIMSELF OR IN THIS CASE HURTING OTHERS.

>> THAT'S THE $64,000 QUESTION AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY CONSTRUCTIVE ANSWERS TO THIS POINT.

BECAUSE, AS YOU SAID, AND THIS IS WHY I THINK IT HAS AT LEAST FROM A PERSONAL STANDPOINT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE IS PROCESSING THIS WAY, PROCESSING IT THIS WAY, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE HARDEST, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT WAS IN OUR BACK YARD, BUT BECAUSE HIS FAMILY DID EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TOLD FAMILIES SHOULD DO.

THE SECURITY GUARDS, THERE WERE SEVEN SECURITY GUARDS ON SCENE, WHICH I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED WOULD BE THE DETERRENT OF ALL DETERRENTS, AND IT WASN'T.

AND THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THAT ONE OF THEIR MANY PRESS CONFERENCE THIS IS WEEK, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE QUOTED ASSAYING THAT SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST IN A FREE AND OPEN SOCIETY, AND YES OBVIOUSLY THERE IS THE GUN COMPONENT HERE.

BUT EVEN THAT IS NOT SIMPLE.

THAT IS COMPLEX IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

SO IT'S JUST A VERY FRUSTRATING MOMENT, BECAUSE HIS FAMILY DID EVERYTHING.

THESE WERE NOT DISTANT, UNAWARE PARENTS.

THIS WAS A FAMILY THAT HAD DONE EVERYTHING THEY SHOULD DO.

>> I THINK THAT THE OTHER COP, COMPLEXITY, AT LARGE, NO IT IN THIS SITUATION, IS THAT NOT EVERYBODY WHO HAS A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS OR HAS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY IS PRONE TO VIOLENCE.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, WE SHOULD BE KEEPING GUNS OUT OF THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS, WE CLEARLY NEED TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT PEOPLE THAT VIOLENT TOWARDS OTHERS OR MAYBE A HARM TO THEMSELVES, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD A LOT OF DISABILITY ADVOCATES PUSH BACK AGAINST THIS RHETORIC THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH BRINGS UP THIS IMPLICIT IDEA THAT PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSISES ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS BY DEFAULT.

THEY CAN CLEARLY BE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS ONE, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH AND GUNS, NOT TO PAINT EVERYBODY WITH A BROAD BRUSH.

>> I AGREE WITH THAT.

I WOULD ALSO SAY I WISH WE WERE TALKING, AND I UNDERSTAND THE REPORTING HAS BEEN GOOD, TALKING ABOUT THIS FAMILY AND THAT'S WHERE THE STORY GOES FORWARD, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING SO MUCH ABOUT THE FAMILY OF THAT LITTLE GIRL THAT DIED AND THE KIDS THAT ARE WOUNDED.

IT THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.

AND THEY REALLY DESERVE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HEROS, BUT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE VICTIMS.

I HAPPEN TO BE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT THINKS YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE GUNS AFTER THIS, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S POLITICIZING IT, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S TOO SOON.

BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT NOW, WHEN, AND I DO THINK IT IS WORTH AND PEOPLE TRY TO KEEP IT NONPARTISAN HAVE MADE REFERENCE TO WE NEED TO NOT HAVE MILITARY WEAPONS ON THE STREETS.

SO I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I DO THINK THAT YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THE -- THIS ISN'T, JUST IMAGINE IF IT WAS DIFFERENT, IF THE FAMILY HADN'T DONE THESE THINGS, THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THEIR CULPABILITY.

>> AND I THINK YOU DID A PROFILE ON THE LADY THAT WAS KILLED AND OTHERS, SO PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT TO THEM.

AND IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY, I COMMEND FAMILIES BECAUSE I THINK I WOULD DO THE SAME.

I HOPE I'M NEVER EVER IN THAT POSITION, BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THE STORY BEHIND THE PERSON, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF IT AS WELL.

UNFORTUNATELY GUNS ARE PART OF IT TOO, AND PART OF THE STORY IS THE FAMILY DID NOT WANT THIS INDIVIDUAL TO HAVE A GUN, THEY CONTACTED THE POLICE.

THE GUN WAS TAKEN FROM HIM, GIVEN TO A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND OR SOMEONE.

THE GUN ENDED BACK IN HIS POSSESSION.

NOT HERE TO ARGUE EITHER WAY ON THAT.

BUT WHAT DO WE DO WITH GUNS AND ALSO AMMUNITION.

HOW DO YOU GET 600 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION, MULTIPLE CLIPS?

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT MAKING IT A POLITICAL ISSUE, THOUGH.

>> I BELIEVE THERE IS.

BUT I THINK IT'S SORT OF GOING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT RAY SAID ABOUT NOT BEING PARTISAN ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IS A BIPARTISAN, NONPARTISAN VIEW.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS, IS IN THAT FIRST WEEK AFTER SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, EVERYBODY MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE, AND THEN IT DIVIDES INTO PARTISAN.

SO ONE SIDE WILL ONLY TALK ABOUT GUNS, OR THE OTHER SIDE WILL ONLY TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH.

AND IT FALLS ON THESE MADDINGLY PREDICTABLE LINES TO WHERE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR PET PROJECT FOR THE LACK OF A BETTER WORD, SO IT'S GOT TO BE ALL ABOUT GUNS OR ALL ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH, OR IT'S ALL ABOUT THIS.

AND NO, WHAT THERE IS IS WHEN YOU HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS, AND I'VE SAID IT ON THIS SHOW BEFORE, IT'S NEVER JUST ONE THING.

THERE'S ALWAYS A WHOLE VARIETY OF FACTORS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SITUATION, AND THE IDEA, LET'S SAY WITH GUNS, GUNS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND WE SAY WELL, ASSAULT WEAPONS, YOU GO BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS BACK IN THE 60'S, IT WAS A HUNTING RIFLE.

WHAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO WHERE HUMAN LIFE HAS BECOME DEVALUED FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO PUT IT.

SOMEHOW IT'S LESS, IT'S MORE ACCEPTABLE, AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE RIGHT WORD, BUT IT HAPPENS WITH ALARMING FREQUENCY AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE GUNS ARE MORE AVAILABLE.

THERE'S A VARIETY OF FACTORS THAT WENT INTO IT AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE.

SHOULD WE HAVE HAD PARENTAL WARNINGS ON VIDEO GAMES?

I DON'T KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING YES OR NO, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT A VARIETY OF THINGS INSTEAD OF PICKING OUR ONE LITTLE PET PROJECT AND SAYING THIS WILL SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, BECAUSE IT WON'T.

>> I THINK SPECIFICALLY WITH THIS ISSUE, IT COULD BRING UP THE QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER MISSOURI SHOULD HAVE SO-CALLED RED FLAG LAW, WHICH WOULD, THERE WOULD BE A JUDICIAL PROCEEDING ABOUT WHETHER SOMEBODY IS A THREAT TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS, AND THEN THAT WAY YOU COULD GET THE GUN OUT OF THEIR HANDS.

MISSOURI DOESN'T HAVE ONE OF THOSE.

AND INITIALLY, ESPECIALLY AFTER UVALDE, THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT THE, ABOUT THAT IN THE MISSOURI LEGISLATURE.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO RAISE THE AGE IN MISSOURI, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO CONCEAL CARRY PERMITS AND BAN CERTAIN TYPES OF GUNS.

I THINK THAT GOT A LOT OF PUSHBACK BECAUSE THERE WERE QUESTIONS OF WHAT IF IT'S MISUSED.

BUT I THINK THAT'S WORTH A DISCUSSION BECAUSE IN THIS INSTANCE FROM THE FACTS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THERE WAS A RED FLAG LAW, MAYBE THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE GUN OUT OF THIS PERSON'S HAND.

>> I THOUGHT THERE WERE RED FLAG LAWS IN ILLINOIS, IN YOUR HOME STATE OF ILLINOIS.

ARE THERE?

BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE HIGHLAND PARK SHOOTER HAD BEEN RED FLAGGED, OR CERTAINLY IN PARKLAND, FLORIDA, NIKOLAS CRUZ WAS RED FLAGGED, THE F.B.I.

HAD SOMETHING ON HIM, BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO TRACK HIM DOWN.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE FACT THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVES A YOUNG MAN BETWEEN THE AGES OF X AND Y, AND WE STILL REFUSE TO THINK OR EVEN CONSIDER RAISING THE AGE LIMIT OF THESE WEAPONS, WHERE YOU CAN ACQUIRE ONE OF THESE WEAPONS.

THAT I'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND.

>> I THINK THE SIMPLEST THING TO SAY, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE MILITARY WEAPONS OF WAR IN THE HANDS OF CIVILIANS.

NOW, CAN WE, WE BANNED ASSAULT WEAPONS IN 1994 FOR 10 YEARS, THERE WAS A SUNSET ON IT AND THE NUMBERS WERE STARK.

THEY STUDIED THE MASS SHOOTINGS OF SIX OR MORE -- >> COLUMBINE WAS '96.

>> NO, IT WAS '99.

>> THE POINT IS WE BANNED ASSAULT WEAPONS AND THERE WAS A DRAMATIC DROPOFF IN SHOOTINGS OF SIX OR OVER, MORE PEOPLE, DURING THAT 10-YEAR PERIOD, AND A GIANT SPIKE OF THEM AFTERWARDS.

AND BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL CRIME.

IT'S A WAY OF DEALING.

AND TO JOE'S POINT, I HATE TO AGREE WITH YOU, BURR IT IS VERY COMPLEX.

BUT WHAT ISN'T COMPLEX IS SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED, AND IT SHOULD NOT BE INCUMBENT ON PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS TO COME UP WITH ONE THAT'S GOING TO FIX EVERY PROBLEM.

I THINK A RED FLAG LAW MIGHT HAVE HELPED HERE, BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER, AND I HAPPY TO BE FOR THEM, BUT IT'S NOT AN ISSUE OF WHETHER THEY WOULD HAVE STOPPED THIS ONE.

IT'S A QUESTION OF WHETHER WE WANT TO HAVE, AND I BELIEVE IN THE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO POSSESS ARMS, BUT IT'S NOT UNLIMITED, SO THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD ABOUT MILITARY WEAPONRY.

>> OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA NEXT UP ON THE NEXT SHOW.

WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM ST. LOUIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, A PARENT AND MENTAL HEALTH OFFICIAL.

SO PLEASE STICK AROUND WITH US, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT MORE TO DISCUSS ON THAT.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANT TO SAY ONE THING, SOMETHING I NOTED AT THE WEDNESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE, INTERIM POLICE CHIEF SACK HAD HANDWRITTEN NOTES, HE WAS NOT HANDED A PREPARED SPEECH, AND WHAT HE PRESENTED TO US WAS HANDWRITTEN, I SAW IT WHEN HE WAS STANDING BEHIND, AND IT'S PERSONAL.

AND I THINK WE'RE ALL FEELING IT AND HE IS TOO, AND I WANT TO COMMEND THE POLICE AND COMMEND HIM, BECAUSE YOU COULD TELL THAT WAS PERSONAL.

SO WE HAVE AN ELECTION COMING UP AND THE DISPATCH HAS ENDORSED THE NEW REPUBLICAN.

>> AND THEY SAY WE DON'T -- >> WHAT IS GOING ON THERE?

>> WE'VE GONE CRAZY.

>> SO JASON, DOES IT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE?

>> I THINK IT'S DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU THINK NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS ENDORSING CANDIDATES MEAN ANYTHING.

I MEAN, I THINK IT DOESN'T.

I USED TO WORK FOR THE COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT GETTING HANK WATERS ENDORSEMENT WAS THE MAGIC TICKET TO WINNING, AND SOMETIMES IT WAS AND SOMETIMES IT WASN'T.

I THINK THAT REALLY THIS RACE IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO MR. NOMTOVANI CAN CONVINCE ENOUGH DEMOCRATS TO VOTE FOR HIM.

HE DID RUN TWICE AS A DEMOCRAT AND NOW HE'S A REPUBLICAN.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY IS 60% DEMOCRATIC NOW AND I GUESS THIS MAY POSSIBLY HELP, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT CHANGES THE FUNDAMENTAL BARRIER THAT MONTOVANI HAS.

>> I THINK IT'S BETTER THAN NOT GETTING IT, BASICALLY, AND THIS HAS GONE BACK A LONG WAYS, NEWSPAPER ENDORSEMENTS ARE MOST SIGNIFICANT BASED ON HOW WELL THE CANDIDATE WHO GETS IT USES IT.

SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, A, IF MONTOVANI TAKES THE POST, AND WHETHER IT'S THE BLACK POLICE OFFICERS SUPPORT HIM AND OTHER THINGS, IF HE TAKES THOSE KINDS OF ENDORSEMENTS, INCLUDING THE POST AD AND TARGETS IT TO THE RIGHT FOLKS, I THINK THAT CAN HELP HIM.

HE'S GOT TO WIN INDEPENDENTS AND DEMOCRATS, OBVIOUSLY.

IT'S INTERESTING THEY'RE RUN, DIGITALLY THEY'RE RUNNING MAG AMONTOVANI ADS.

THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OVER THE TOP.

AND I HAPPEN TO THINK IT'S A NONPARTISAN, THEY ALL OUGHT TO BE NONPARTISAN.

>> BUT THAT'S PART AND PARCEL WITH EVERY COUNTY EXECUTIVE ELECTION.

THEY ALWAYS USE NATIONAL OR STATE ISSUES TO ATTACK ANOTHER CANDIDATE, AND THEY'RE PLAYING ON PEOPLE'S IGNORANCE OF WHAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT DOES.

AND, I MEAN, SOMETIMES IT'S PARTISAN, BUT I THINK THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE IS ACTUALLY IMPORTANT AND HAS AN ACTUAL IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S LIVES, PROBABLY MORE THAN THE STATE LEGISLATURE ARGUABLY.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT STRATEGY DOESN'T WORK.

THAT'S WHY STEVE STAGER WON IN 2014, BECAUSE HE BROUGHT UP A BUNCH OF RELEVANT ISSUES.

>> I YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES OF TRUMP 2024 FLAGS FLYING AND UNDERNEATH THAT IS A MONTOVNI FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE SIGN.

IT IS A PHYSICAL THING YOU CAN SEE, NOT JUST HEY LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

>> ONE THING I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THAT THE CANDIDATES WHO GET ENDORSED, FIND OUR ENDORSEMENTS VERY VALUABLE.

CANDIDATES WHO WE DON'T ENDORSE THINK WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I ALSO THINK, I AGREE WITH THE COUNTY HAS CERTAINLY SWITCHED FROM REPUBLICAN TO DEMOCRAT, BUT ALSO LET'S TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT SENATOR STREAM'S RACE WAS VERY CLOSE.

SINCE THEN THE REPUBLICANS HAVE HAD CHARLES BARRY AS THE CANDIDATE.

PAUL BARRY, EXCUSE ME.

>> I'M NOT SURE HE WAS AS VIABLE OF A CANDIDATE AS MARK MONTOVANI IS.

I'M PUTTING OUT A PREDICTION.

I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE EASY PATHS, THAT PAGE HAS HAD OR WHATEVER RUNNING AGAINST PAUL BARRY, MIGHT NOT BE INDICATIVE OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> HAVE WE SEEN ANY PAGE TELEVISION?

BECAUSE I HAVE NOT.

I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THE MONTOVANI SPOTS.

>> I'VE SEEN SOME PAGE, I'VE SEEN SOME GENERAL PAGE T ADS AND I'M ASSUMING IN THE LAST WEEK OR TWO THEY'LL GO NEGATIVE ON EACH OTHER.

THEY'RE DEBATING AND I THINK THAT MEANS THEY'RE TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.

I HAPPEN TO THINK -- >> I HAPPEN TO THINK, NOT MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES STILL DO THIS WITH PARTISAN ELECTIONS.

AND I DON'T THINK IT DEFINES IT, AND I'VE SAID BEFORE THERE'S FOUR DEMOCRATS ON THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND ONLY TWO OF THEM HAVE BEEN VOTING WITH SAM PAGE, AND A MAGGA REPUBLICAN WHO HE'S FRIENDS WITH HAS VOTED WITH HIM MORE THAN THE TWO AFRICAN-AMERICAN DEMOCRATS.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT THAT WAY -- >> IT'S AN ELECTION, AND PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY DO.

>> ALL RIGHT REAL QUICK, ERIC SCHMITT, 25 LAWSUITS IN 20 MONTHS.

JOE, GOOD USE OF MISSOURI TAXPAYER MONEY?

>> NO.

BAD USE, MAYBE.

THE THING IS, THE ARTICLE THAT I READ FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS, I WILL SAY THAT THE HEADLINE FOR MISSOURI WAS HOW MANY HE HAD FILED AGAINST THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, 25 IN 20 MONTHS.

I WILL GIVE CREDIT TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER WHO POINTED OUT THAT DURING THE TRUMP YEARS, THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL FILED 109 LAWSUITS AGAINST THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

I THINK WHAT WE SEE IS WHAT I'VE, WHAT I FIND SO DISHEARTENING ABOUT POLITICS, IT HAS BECOME NOTHING BUT A PARTISAN ROLLER DERBY.

SO NOW WE CAN EXPECT THAT IF YOU HAVE A REPUBLICAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEY GENERALS FILING SUITS.

109 IN 48 MONTHS.

AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A REPUBLICAN, LIKE ERIC SCHMITT, AND A DEMOCRAT IN THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THEM FILING SUITS.

AND IT'S -- >> JOE IS RIGHT, BUT THERE'S ONE OTHER SCHOOL.

THE AGAPE SCHOOL, IN KANSAS CITY, THAT'S THE ONE THAT HE SHOULD HAVE -- I AGREE WITH YOU, IT'S THE WAY THEY DO IT NOW, IT'S WRONG.

BUT THE ONE HE COULD HAVE DONE IT AND HE DISAGREED WITH THE LOCAL PROSECUTORS, HE BAILED OUT OF THE CASE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE A MAGA THEME TO IT.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S THE WAY IT'S DONE, HE'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER THE TOP AS AN INSURRECTIONIST, BUT THE FACT IS IT'S SAD.

>> I WILL END IT ON THIS BEFORE WE MOVE ON.

IF YOU'RE OUT THERE AND FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, REACH OUT AND TALK TO SOMEBODY, EVERY PLACE ONLINE, EVERY PLACE THAT'S BEEN COVERING THIS STORY THIS WEEK HAS PLACES FOR YOU COULD CONTACT, ONE PLACE IS DIAL 988.

AS THE CITY HEALTH DIRECTOR SAID, SOMEBODY WILL BE ON THEIR WAY TO HELP YOU OUT.

SO DON'T BE AFRAID, AND DON'T BE BASHFUL.

YOU CAN WRITE TO US AT "DONNYBROOK:" OR SEND A TWEET.

OUR COMMENT LINE, 314-512-9094.

YOU CAN CATCH US ON PODCAST, APPLE, SPOTIFY, GOOGLE PLAY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR SITTING IN.

AND WE WILL BE DISCUSSING MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA WHEN WE COME BACK, THAT WILL BE RAY AND I.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN.

ONCE AGAIN THANK TO YOU THE POLICE, AND MAY WE HAVE A SAFE WEEK UPCOMING, THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.