Biden Kansas City shooting cuts deep American soul

President Joe Biden calls for gun control after a shooting at a Super Bowl victory parade in Kansas City.

President Joe Biden has expressed deep sorrow and concern following the shooting at the Super Bowl victory celebration in Kansas City, Missouri. He emphasized the significance of the Super Bowl as an event that unites Americans, bringing joy and celebration to winning teams and their supporters. However, the tragic turn of events in Kansas City has deeply affected the American soul.

The shooting resulted in one fatality, identified as Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a DJ for a local radio station, and left 22 others injured, including nine children with gunshot wounds. While the gunman has not been identified, three individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

Biden's response to the tragedy reiterated his call for gun control measures, including reinstating bans on assault weapons, limiting high-capacity magazines, and strengthening background checks. He urged the nation to be moved, shocked, and shamed into action, questioning what more needs to happen before meaningful change is enacted.

The timing of the Kansas City shooting, occurring on the sixth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida mass shooting, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis of gun violence in the United States. The Gun Violence Archive has reported more mass shootings than days in 2024, with over 40,000 people killed by gun violence last year and over 600 mass shootings occurring, including one of the deadliest in recent decades in Lewiston, Maine.

Biden emphasized that the epidemic of gun violence is tearing apart families and communities on a daily basis, with many incidents going unnoticed by the media. He called for a collective decision on the nation's identity, advocating for the right of individuals to attend events, go to school, and walk the streets without fear of losing their lives to gun violence. This tragic event serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive gun law reform in the United States.