Add another one to the list. Today in Louisville, Kentucky, a 23-year-old man went to work at a bank with his AR-15 and killed four people and injured nine others. That makes 145 mass shootings this year so far. It’s only April. There have been 99 days this year, and 145 shootings. That’s too much. Star Wars alum Mark Hamill agrees, and he isn’t afraid to call out who he thinks is responsible.
Popular independent journalist Brian Krassenstein shared a post about how he will not stop “politicizing the Louisville mass shooting” and “won’t accept your thoughts and prayers.” Hamill piggybacked on this defiance by claiming that the Republican Party, the party of guns for everyone, is effectively owned by the National Rifle Association, a very powerful lobbying group for the gun industry.
“The @GOP is OWNED by the @NRA VOTE. THEM. OUT.” he said.
Hamill’s sentiment echoes that of a number of Americans who literally just want someone to enact some common sense gun control so their kids can feel safe at school. So they can feel safe at the mall. So they don’t have to worry about getting shot whenever they leave the house.
The shooter was identified as Connor Sturgeon, per CNN, and he worked at Old National Bank. He was killed after a gunfight with police. The four victims are Joshua Barrick, Juliana Farmer, Tommy Elliott, and James Tutt, and they ranged in age from 40 to 64 years old.
As of this writing, three of the nine injured are still in critical condition. Three more are in non-critical condition, and three have been released. One of the victims is a 26-year-old officer who just graduated from the police academy. He was shot in the head, and is in critical condition.
How many more of these have to happen before something changes? Having 145 shootings and it’s only April doesn’t sound great no matter how you try to spin it. When will it be enough?
Published: Apr 10, 2023 04:52 pm