Six people were killed and dozens were injured less than two hour after the incident. in a mass shooting during a parade in Highland Park, Illinois, Darren Bailey, the Republican candidate for governor in the state’s 2022 election, said that it was time to “move on” and continue Fourth of July celebrations elsewhere.
Bailey, a state senator and Trump-endorsed candidate who was selected by Republicans in last week’s GOP primary contest, later apologized for his statement.
The shooting took place in Chicago suburb just after 10 AM during a parade. Several videos shared on social mediaParadegoers run for cover as gunshots ring in the background. Robert Crimo III, the suspected gunman, was taken into police custody shortly after the shooting.
As many political figures were expressing their condolences to the victims of the shooting and their families, Bailey suggested that it was time to continue Fourth of July revelries — even before Crimo was apprehended.
“Let’s pay for justice to prevail, and then let’s move on and let’s celebrate the independence of this nation,” Bailey saidIn a Facebook Livestream. Bailey is seen in the video. surrounded by his supporters, who hold campaign signs bearing his name.
After receiving backlash for his comments, Bailey apologized for “diminish[ing] the pain” felt by those who were affected by the shooting.
“My intent was to pray for the victims and those affected by today’s tragedy and for the shooter to be caught and prosecuted without further loss,” Bailey said.
The GOP gubernatorial nominee offered little advice on how to prevent mass shootings or respond to them. Instead, Bailey pushed for increases in policingThis is a method that policy experts recommend. will not prevent more mass shootings.
Before Monday there had been 306 mass shootings documented in the U.S.Since the beginning of 2022. Gun violence is also quite high in this year’s country, with 10,072 people dying from accidental or deliberate shootings within the first half of 2022.
After a series of horrendous mass shootings, including last month’s, An elementary school in Uvalde (Texas), A grocery store in Buffalo, New York), Congress passed a bipartisan gun billThe law was signed into law by President Joe Biden. However, gun reform advocates have noted that the law lacks many of the measures they’ve called for, and notably, the legislation contains several provisions that This will likely lead to an increase in criminalization and a bloating of the police budgets.
