[Comparative Advantage]

I understand your points. However, if the parents knew (based on his statements or behavior) that their son was a risk to himself or others but did not call the police to have him pink slipped for a couple of days (regardless of whether he was a minor or adult) or go to a Probate judge and challenge his competency, then they share a burden for his behavior. Granted, there are a lot of assumptions in my statement at this point. I will be interested to learn if they ever made any effort to have him counseled for mental health issues as a youth or adult, pink slipped, etc.

[Walts Ice Pick]

It's common for schizophrenia to blossom in the late teens or early twenties. It's not always easy to get treatment for a 22 year old man. I won't be surprised to learn that he didn't have any significant job or health insurance. People in those circumstances often get whatever health care treatment they get in emergency rooms and that may not be the best place for treating schizophrenia.

I don't blame the parents, the schools or anyone other than the guy himself. We don't have any systems designed to protect ourselves from untreated schizophrenics.

There are dangerous sharks in the ocean and there are dangerous schizophrenics on the land. This is a free country and we're all on our own.

[BuckeyeTexan]

There was a report earlier today that said Jared Loughner had never been treated in AZ for mental illness. The controlling agency/department confirmed it.

If he had been treated for mental illness, he wouldn’t have passed the background check required to buy the gun.