As a cop told Chris Plante this morning, the police already have discretion to take guns in situations of immediate danger to persons. Beyond that there is due process for less immediate threats. The laws are there and the cop who called in could not think of any news that he would need.
Could they have institutionalized Cruz while they figured out what was going on?
Exactly. Florida has the Baker Act that is tailor-made for that murderer. Hollowing out 2A is a very bad substitute for what SHOULD have happened when Broward County and the FBI had everything they needed to move on the murderer.