Illinois’s two Democratic senators quickly called for a new federal ban on assault weapons following Monday’s mass shooting targeting families at a 4th of July parade. Six people were killed and more than two dozen wounded – including children – in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park, when a shooter allegedly opened fire from a rooftop.
Police say they believe the shooter escaped by climbing down a ladder leading into an alleyway where he hopped into a car and drove off. An assault rifle was
recovered from the scene. A person of interest, 22-year-old Robert “Bobby” Crimo was later taken into custody in connection to the shooting.
In Highland Park this evening, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said Congress needs to do more on guns. But Durbin also defended the bipartisan gun legislation recently passed by Congress which did not prevent this shooting.
“The gun bill we passed in the Senate, the bi-partisan gun bill, addresses many of the aspects of these mass shooters. And some of that involves mental health and trauma counseling. We have to reach out at an early age to turn these lives around.”
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth said Congress recently showed both parties can work together on gun safety – and must do it again.
“We have to do more to keep our communities safe. We have to get rid of assault weapons, high capacity magazines, and so many other additional common sense reforms that wide majorities of Americans are crying out for.”
Duckworth – a war veteran – said footage of the shooting reminded her of combat.
Governor JB Pritzker says the state is grieving with the community of Highland Park.
The Governor visited the suburban city to address the mass shooting. He noted that while some may say now is not the time to talk about guns, he disagrees.
“It is devastating that a celebration of America was ripped apart by our uniquely American plaque. A day dedicated to freedom has put into stark relief the one freedom we as a nation refuse to uphold. The freedom of our fellow citizens not to live in fear of daily gun violence.”
Governor Pritzker says he doesn’t think our founding fathers would have said people have a Constitutional right to own an assault weapon with high capacity magazine, or that that is more important than the right to live while attending a parade.
