Senator Kennedy Speaks on Gun Control After New York Shooting

On Monday, Louisiana Republican Senator John Kennedy addressed calls for gun control during an appearance on Fox News. This followed a tragic incident where a shooter killed five individuals and wounded one in a high-rise building on Park Avenue in New York City. When asked about potential Democratic responses to the shooting, Kennedy expressed his condolences. “I’m sorry to the civilians who were killed or injured. I don’t understand why good things happen to good people. Maybe I’ll find out if I go to heaven,” he remarked to host Sean Hannity. He also extended his sympathies to the police affected by the shooting and expressed gratitude for those who have bravely faced danger.

In response, Hannity stated, “There’s a majority in New York. I live there. We don’t need any more gun control. I’m not sure how to approach this, but I feel deeply that there’s objective evil in the world, and no one feels pity for those who commit these acts.”

Meanwhile, New York Democrat Richie Torres called for a ban on certain semi-automatic firearms shortly after the incident, reiterating his stance on the issue during a segment on CNN. “It’s absolutely insane that weapons of war can be so easily accessed on the streets of America. New York has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, but even those laws can only do so much,” he commented.

According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, over 24 million modern sporting rifles, including AR-15s, were estimated to be circulating as of July 2022. This raises questions, especially in light of statistics from the FBI indicating that rifles were involved in 523 murders in 2023. In comparison, knives were used in the deaths of 1,630 people, while non-firearm personal weapons (like hands and feet) accounted for 1,231 fatalities.