The Republican Governor of Tennessee Demanded compassion and an end to mass violence, but specifically declined to mention guns or gun control in a message to his state after three nine-year-old children and three adults were shot dead at a Nashville Christian school.
Related: Josh Hawley called the response to the Nashville shooting “fraud and cowardice”.
“I understand that there is pain,” Bill Lee called in a short, pre-recorded video. “I understand the desperation of having answers, of assigning blame, of arguing about a solution that could prevent this terrible tragedy.”
There will come “a time when you wonder how one person can do that,” Lee said. “There will come a time to discuss and debate politics. But this is no time for hate or anger. That will not be solved or healed.”
Monday’s Nashville shooting was the 129th mass shooting in the United States this year. after to the Gun Violence Archives, and the 13th school shooting this year that resulted in injury or death, after for the education week.
The alleged killer, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, legally acquired seven firearms in five stores, according to police, who also said the suspect was being treated for an “emotional disorder”.
The gunman carried three firearms in the attack on Covenant School, a private Christian academy, before he was shot dead by police.
In 2019 and 2021, Lee signed legislation relaxing Tennessee’s gun laws. The 2021 bill that was in contrast to by many police and prosecutor associations, permitted Most adults carry handguns in public without a permit, background check, or training.
Tennessee has no “red flag” laws aimed at stopping gun purchases by those with criminal records or mental health problems.
Since the shooting, Joe Biden has bemoaned lax gun laws and warned against accepting another tragedy without policy changes.
“As a nation, we owe these families more than our prayers,” the president said at an event in North Carolina. “We owe them deeds. We must do more to stop this gun violence [is] tearing apart communities and tearing apart the soul of this nation; to protect our children so they can learn to read and write instead of hiding in the classroom.”
Noting that he owned two shotguns and generally supporting the right to own firearms, Biden provided a contrast to the military weapons carried to Covenant School by the Nashville gunman.
“These are weapons of war,” he said. “Don’t tell me we can’t do more together. I again urge Congress to pass the Assault Weapons Ban… This should not be a partisan issue.”
Americans must “put pressure on them,” he added, referring to the Republican Party.
On Tuesday, Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who survived a shooting at congressional baseball practice in 2017, appeared to accuse Democrats of exploiting the tragedy.
“The first thing I do in any kind of tragedy is pray,” says Scalise called. “I pray for the victims, pray for their families. I get really angry when I see people trying to politicize [the situation] for their very personal agenda.”
In his Tuesday night address, Tennessee Gov. Lee also indicated that his wife was friends with victims of the Nashville shooting.
“Maria woke up this morning without one of her best friends,” he said.
Cynthia Peak, aka Cindy, “was supposed to come over to dinner with Maria last night after filling in as Covenant’s substitute teacher last night,” Lee said.
“Cindy and Maria and Katherine Koonce” – the headmistress of the Covenant school who was also killed – “were all teachers at the same school and families that had been friends for decades.”
Koonce was on a video conference call when the shooting began but immediately ran toward the shooting, a member of the Nashville City Council told FoxNews.
The principal, who has held her position since 2016, “prepared the school by pursuing advanced active rifleman training,” Councilman Russ Pulley said, adding that “from witnesses at the scene of this transcript — details of which I don’t.” can deliver – countless lives saved”.
“Prayer is the first thing we should do, but it’s not the only thing,” Lee said. “Law enforcement officials and educators across our state have been working to make schools safer for years, especially in the last year. This work was not in vain – the courage and quick response of the teachers, officers and this community undoubtedly prevented further tragedy.”
Related: Nashville shooting: What it reveals about Americans’ love of military-style guns
In 2019 Lee signed a school safety law that encourages school districts to develop threat assessment teams. Scalise also called for stricter safety measures in schools in its Tuesday press conference.
But in his video message, Lee largely avoided public policy matters.
“There will be time to talk about the legislation and budget proposals that we have presented this year,” he said. “And there is clearly more to do. But on this day after the tragedy, I want to speak to what is above all. The fight is not against flesh and blood, it is not against people. The fight is against evil itself.”
Lee is a staunch conservative evangelical christian in the charismatic tradition. He has taken right-wing positions on most issues, including supporting a near-total ban on abortion.
On Wednesday night, First Lady Jill Biden was scheduled to attend a candlelight vigil in Nashville.
Source : news.yahoo.com