Following two mass shootings over the weekend, the Tribune reached out to Congressman Roger Marshall, and Congressman Ron Estes, Monday morning for their comments.
The first occurred in El Paso, Texas where 21 were killed and 25 wounded when a gunman entered a Walmart and proceeded to shoot at random and later taken into custody by police. The second in Dayton, Ohio, in the early hours of Sunday morning, where a gunman opened fire in a crowded entertainment district and killed nine people and wounded 26 before being shot and killed by police,
Congressman Roger Marshall, a Republican, serves Kansas’s ‘Big First” district, and serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee.
“As the details of yesterday’s shooting in El Paso are made known, I wish to condemn - in the strongest terms - racism in all forms,” Marshall said. “This massacre should be taken as seriously as any other act of terror. And with further tragedy and killing in Dayton, Ohio, yesterday, it should remind us all that terror and senseless violence does not just come from one country, state, ethnicity or faith. We must stand against it in all forms.”
Congressman Ron Estes, also a Republican, serves Kansas’s fourth district, and serves on the Committee on Ways and Means.
“Over the weekend our nation witnessed two back-to-back tragedies that not only affected those communities, but further deepened a growing divide in the United States,” he said. “Like all Kansans, Susan and I were shocked and saddened by these senseless atrocities and are heartbroken for the families and friends of the innocent victims. The challenges we face as a nation cannot be solved with partisan attacks and rhetoric, but real, honest action regarding home-grown terrorism and hate. Violence has no place in this country, and we must stand together to condemn racism, white nationalism, and all other forms of hate. These tragedies and the ongoing investigations should remind us that we must come together as Americans, regardless of party affiliations or ideology. We should also be grateful for the heroic law enforcement officials who prevented greater casualties in El Paso and Dayton. I’m committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure our country is safer, stronger, and more united.”
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, also issued a statement on the shootings, asking for lawmakers to address gun violence.
“My thoughts go out to the people of El Paso and Dayton today. And, to everyone touched by these tragedies,” Kelly said. “Unfortunately, they are not alone.
“We have now seen our 251st mass shooting for the year. We have seen hundreds of communities ravaged by gun violence, thousands of lives lost and countless others forever changed through the loss of their loved ones,” she said. “This is not normal. We are in the midst of a public health crisis and we should not wait for another gun-related tragedy to occur to take action. It’s time we do something about this before it’s too late. It’s time to implement real, common sense gun-safety laws.
“For now, we are focused on the victims of these mass shootings, their families and the communities that they called home. However, in the coming weeks we must address this issue. We must end gun violence now.”
Kansas City “First Fridays” shooting victim also mentioned
Kelly, in addition, noted the shooting death of Erin Langhofer, killed Friday night in Kansas City when violence broke out during a First Fridays art event. Langhofer, 25 and an innocent bystander, was shot in the head by a stray bullet. She was the only casualty.
Langhofer was the daughter of Church of the Resurrection Pastor of Recovery Ministries Tom Langhofer and niece of Steve Langhofer, the church’s congregational care pastor.
Resurrection’s Senior Pastor Adam Hamilton commented on the shooting on his facebook page Saturday morning, asking followers to remember Langhofer’s family in their prayers.
