HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — West Michigan’s elected officials are reacting to two mass shootings this weekend, Aug. 3-4, 2019, in El Paso, TX, where 20 were killed, and Dayton, OH, where nine died, in addition to the shooter.
Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, used Twitter, writing, “For those of us who have witnessed this hatred firsthand in our communities, it is way overdue to enact a common sense response. We shake our heads in disbelief after innocent victims and precious lives are taken again and again… Bipartisan Red Flag laws – with proper due process – need to be enacted to provide law enforcement and mental health authorities the tools to deny weapons capable of such carnage from being on the streets. Enough is enough.”
An hour later, he added, “Common sense Red Flag laws – with stringent due process and probable cause – prevent those in imminent danger to themselves or others to have firearms. Law enforcement remains on the front-lines & ensuring they have another tool in their tool box would further help them.”
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland: “We cannot allow the blind hatred and disregard for innocent life to be the new normal. We need to find out how and why individuals in our society are being radicalized and committing these horrific acts. The tone and tenor of how we discuss these serious societal and policy issues also matters. Those seeking to politicize these tragedies make it more difficult to address the underlying causes. My heart goes out to the communities and families impacted by these tragedies. I also want to say thank you to the brave first responders who acted quickly to minimize the loss of life as much as possible.”
Democrat U.S. Sen. Gary Peters: “Heartbreaking news out of El Paso. We mourn the loss of those killed in the tragic shooting and pray for a speedy recovery for those who were injured. We also thank the heroic first responders.”
Sen. Debbie Stabenow on Monday tweeted, “Enough is enough! Leader McConnell must make the Bipartisan Background Checks Act a top priority. This bill passed the House over 158 days ago. It is past time for the U.S. Senate to act!”
Reactions to the comments ranged from extremely partisan and inflammatory, such as impeaching President Trump, to appeals for some kind of gun control. Some simply asked for action, as did a Twitter user going by @the_michelle, who described herself elsewhere as a medical student: “Do more.”
