U.S. Attorney Blames Gun Culture for Old Dominion University Shooting

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Ramin Fatehi in Norfolk, Virginia, attributed the shooting at Old Dominion University to what he referred to as a “cult of gun absolutism.”

Federal prosecutors in Virginia perform roles similar to district attorneys in other states.

He mentioned:

In this country, it seems like people value guns more than the lives of 6-year-olds. They prioritize guns over the safety of synagogue worshippers and college students alike. Unless there’s a political shift to confront this gun absolutist mindset, events like this will keep happening. So, if you’re looking for someone to blame, don’t point fingers here. Instead, look at lawmakers who lack the guts to enact reasonable gun control and at the Supreme Court to enable that change. We need action.

Fatehi seemed to brace for criticism after his statements, asserting, “I absolutely stand by what I said. No matter how gun control groups respond, it’s the truth.”

Interestingly, Fatehi did not mention that Old Dominion University’s campus is designated as a gun-free zone, although it’s worth noting that gun control measures might not have stopped this particular attack.

Breitbart News highlighted that the alleged assailant had previously served in the National Guard and was imprisoned in 2017 for supporting ISIS. He reportedly shouted “Allah, Akbar” during the attack.

The attacker was subdued and killed by ROTC members on the scene.