Detroit police says it's ready in event of mass shooting

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Thirty-one people are dead after two mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

They'll never come home and their loved ones will grieve them for the rest of their lives. In Dayton, the gunman killed 9 people but was stopped and killed in just 30 seconds.

When America woke up Sunday to the terrible reality that two mass shooting had happened in the space of just 13 hours - to say the nation was shocked, is putting it lightly. The FBI is investigating both shootings but also preparing local communities, something Chief James Craig said is important to his department.

"It's important that if the FBI has intelligence or information about a potential threat that information is moved forward quickly," said Craig.

The City of Detroit says if there's ever a mass shooting in the city, they're ready and say the police department trains for this type of situation, regularly. Chief Craig and the FBI spoke with several local departments on Sunday and got assured that the FBI has their back in the wake of three tragedies.

Gilroy. El Paso. Dayton.

Agents with the joint terrorism task force here in Michigan echoed that sentiment.

"Members of my squad that are Detroit police officers would be engaged immediately from its inception, they would, in turn, collaborate with their natural Detroit Police Department Partners," said FBI Special Agent Devin Kowalski, Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Chief Craig said we as a nation, need to be proactive by continuing to protect Second Amendment rights but strengthening background checks. 

"We've got to get guns out of the hands of those who are inclined to commit violence," Craig said.

The El Paso shooting, which killed 22 as of 4:45 p.m. on Monday, may have been spurred by racism - specifically white nationalism.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say this because, certainly we respect free speech. When does free speech become hate speech? When does free speech incite violence? I will tell you any white supremacist that wants to come here and protest, as far as I'm concerned, they're not welcome here," said Craig.

Craig says he and his department are always evaluating best practices and update active shooter training and policies.