Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was leading a town hall event on Jan. 8 when 22-year-old Jared Loughner unleashed a spray of bullets, murdering six people and seriously injuring Giffords.

The warning signs of Loughner’s instability and violence were obvious, but he was allowed to walk free in society and commit murder.

In high school, Loughner became an avid marijuana smoker, which is linked to psychosis, and an alcoholic, which leads to violent tendencies.

Loughner displayed disorganized thoughts and speech, a typical symptom of psychosis.

According to the Washington Post, when he took math tests at Pima Community College, Loughner wrote things like “Eat + Sleep + Brush Teeth = Math” and “Mayhem Fest.”

This disturbed his teacher enough to express concerns to the school.

Loughner also had no sense of social skills.

In class, he would read poetry of touching himself in the shower while holding his crotch.

Students were worried that he would bring a gun to school, and one student always made sure she sat near the door so she could make a quick getaway.

Loughner became hostile when he learned a teacher gave him a “B” grade, causing the teacher to request a security guard be present whenever Loughner was in her classroom.

His paranoia was evident in his mistrust of the government.

Loughner believed that the U.S. government orchestrated the 9/11 terrorist attacks and was trying to brainwash the population through controlling grammar.

The school kicked him out and told him not to come back until he got a mental evaluation, but there was no follow-up by the school or the parents to make sure Loughner got one.

Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupink admitted the authorities knew of Loughner’s disturbed behavior.

But Loughner was still allowed to own a gun and buy ammunition the day of the shooting.

Clearly, Loughner was mentally unstable. There was enough evidence for the school to go to a judge and involuntarily commit Loughner to a mental institution.

According to the Washington Post, Arizona law allows any of the students or teachers who were disturbed by Lougher’s actions to petition the court to force Loughner into a mental evaluation.

Instead, this mentally unstable individual, prone to violence, was allowed to roam about society and commit a massacre.

Action should have been taken by the school, his parents or the authorities to prevent him from getting the gun and to make sure Loughner got the mental treatment he needed.