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What candidates are saying about the Georgia shooting

Gun violence is one of the issues that voters are most concerned about as presidential and vice-presidential candidates present their proposals to Americans ahead of the November election. Here's what they had to say about the Georgia school shooting this week:

Vice President Kamala Harris: On Wednesday, the Democratic presidential candidate called the shooting a "senseless tragedy," adding that "it is one of the many issues at play in this election."

She also criticized statements made by Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance on Thursday (more details below). “School shootings are not something we should accept as part of life. It doesn't have to be like this. We can act to protect our children—and we will,” Harris said.

Former President Donald Trump: Following the shooting on Wednesday, the Republican presidential candidate posted on Truth Social: “Our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA. These precious children were taken from us too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”

Senator JD Vance: The Republican vice presidential candidate lamented on Thursday that school shootings in the US have become "a reality" and defended the need to strengthen security in schools.

“I don't like it. I don't like to admit that this is a reality. But if you're a headline-seeking psychopath, you realize that our schools are easy targets, and we need to increase security in them,” Vance said at a campaign event in Phoenix.

He also highlighted that strict gun laws are not the determining factor in preventing school shootings.

Governor Tim Walz: The Democratic vice presidential nominee advocated for stricter gun control measures during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on Thursday.

Walz argued that Americans should have the right to live in a country where their children can go to school without the risk of being shot at, and expressed support for federal laws that mimic the gun safety measures he has passed in Minnesota, including gun checks universal background checks and a “red light” law to restrict access to guns for people at high risk of harming themselves or others.

“I say this as a gun owner, as a veteran, as a hunter. Nothing we are proposing infringes on your Second Amendment right,” he added. “But what really infringes is our children going to school and being killed, that’s unacceptable and it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/georgia-shooting-apalachee-high-school-09-06-24/index.html