Government leaders from around the state extended their condolences to the families and friends who lost loved ones during the mass shooting in Dayton, while some top leaders called for legislation to prevent such an attack in the future.
Gov. Mike DeWine described the mass shooting in Dayton’s historic Oregon District as a "nightmare."
As far as supporting new gun regulations, such as expanding background checks or the so-called "Red Flag Law," DeWine says “everything’s on the table” as long as it’s constitutional, can pass the General Assembly, and it’s effective.
“It has to move the ball. In other words, improve the situation. You can do all three things that it sounds like something that we certainly should be doing,” DeWine says.
The "Red Flag Law" allows a court to confiscate weapons from someone who might pose a threat to themselves or others.
DeWine stressed that the details and cause of the shooting were still under investigation.
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and state Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) were both vocal on the need to start working on bills now.
“All of us when we first hear of something so awful feel sadness for the victims and pray for the families. But the next feeling I had was anger that my country’s government stands by and does so little,” says Brown.
We must mourn today but take action tomorrow. I pray that my colleagues in the Ohio legislature will join me in passing long overdue common sense gun legislation as soon as possible. Let’s make America safe again.
— Peggy Lehner (@peggylehner) August 4, 2019
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said in a statement, “These senseless acts of violence must stop.”
"We must mourn today but take action tomorrow. I pray that my colleagues in the Ohio legislature will join me in passing long overdue common sense gun legislation as soon as possible. Let’s make America safe again," Lehner said on Twitter.
