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The Facts
At least four people were killed and nine others critically injured in a mass shooting at Louisville's Old National Bank on Monday morning. Among those shot were two officers, one of whom is undergoing surgery.
The shooter, 23-year-old Connor Sturgeon, reportedly live-streamed his attack on Instagram before he was fatally shot by police. Four of the slain victims ranged from 40 to 60 years old, all of whom were bank employees.
The Spin
Left narrative
This kind of recurrent gun violence is a uniquely American epidemic. How many innocent victims must die before gun laws are reformed? The US has more guns than any other country — essentially one gun for every citizen — and one of the highest gun-related death rates. This madness needs to stop with better regulation, including limiting who has access and the types of weapons they own.
Right narrative
In tragedies like this, the left sadly focuses too much on curtailing the 2nd Amendment rights of American citizens, and also using gun violence to further an agenda driven by extreme identity politics. Each case is situation-specific, and woke politicians and activists would be better served by addressing the stressors impacting specific perpetrators.
Cynical narrative
Another day in the United States, another mass shooting. And just like all the previous tragic attacks, nothing will change based on the empty rhetoric of both sides. Mass shootings have become a part of America's landscape, and neither the left nor the right has enough political willpower to change that.
