Enough is enough! How will the current presidential candidates address America’s school shooting crisis and their propose solutions for gun control?
There has now been 25 school shootings reported in 2024 thus far.
The 2024 presidential candidates have both reacted to the tragic events at a Georgia high school, where at least four individuals lost their lives and nine others were injured in a shooting on Wednesday.
“It’s just outrageous that every day in our country, in the United States of America, that parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. . .We’ve got to stop it. . .it doesn’t have to be this way,” said Harris
Harris heads the inaugural White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, a role appointed to her by Biden approximately a year ago. During her initial campaign event following Biden’s withdrawal, Harris reaffirmed her backing for “red flag laws, universal background checks, and an assault weapons ban.”
By selecting Walz as her running mate, a military veteran and avid hunter, Harris chose a running mate who could draw upon personal experiences to effectively address the issue of gun violence. Walz emphasized the need for action, stating “we’ve got work to do. And I, for one, am sick and tired of hearing about thoughts and prayers rather than actually doing something.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has asserted himself as the “most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president,” consistently maintaining that guns are not responsible for mass shootings but rather attributing the issue to mental health problems.
“Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, GA . . .These cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Even in wake of recent events Trump has maintained his position on gun control. He has indicated that he would not implement any additional gun control measures. Trump has portrayed himself as the ultimate advocate for gun owners, aligning himself with the National Rifle Association. In a speech to the NRA this year, Trump boasted about his unwavering stance on resisting substantial pressure to revise existing gun laws.
Trump’s running mate JD Vance proposed that the key to addressing gun violence lies in bolstering school security, noting that individuals with malicious intent see schools as vulnerable targets. He stressed that confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens would not be an effective solution to the issue.
“I don’t like that this is a fact of life . . . but if you are psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets,” said Vance.
The shooting on Wednesday will most likely influence how voters in the state perceive gun violence leading up to the November election. Harris reaffirmed her backing for “red flag laws, universal background checks, and an assault weapons ban” while Trump redirect the conversation to his overarching campaign message that he is the most qualified candidate to restore peace both domestically and internationally.
Each candidate’s stance on gun control and other critical issues facing the nation, will be addressed in ABC’s Presidential Debate Tuesday, September 10th.
According to USA Today, here are the total number of people, including children and adults, who were either killed or injured in a school shooting since 2018:
- 2018: 114 people were either injured or killed in 24 school shootings
- 2019: 40 people were either injured or killed in 24 school shootings
- 2020: 12 people were either injured or killed in 10 school shootings
- 2021: 70 people were either injured or killed in 35 school shootings
- 2022: 140 people were either injured or killed in 51 school shootings
- 2023: 63 people were either injured or killed in 38 school shootings
- 2024: 49 people were either injured or killed in 23 school shootings
