(TotalConservative.com) – According to Cleveland officials during a press conference following the incident, a mass shooting in the city’s downtown area left nine injured, and local Democratic lawmakers are pinning the blame on Republicans’ stance on gun control.
Taking place in downtown Cleveland at around 2.25 AM, according to the Cleveland chief of police, a person opened fire into a crowd of people, striking nine people: seven men and two women. Police were parked right nearby when the incident occurred and immediately rushed toward the gunfire and rendered first aid to the victims. Most of the injuries were mild, but one victim was in critical condition.
The police chief said it was “not a matter of police response” or “visibility,” because the shooting took place right in front of police officer’s stations on regular detail. He said the suspect is a black man and may be wearing a golden grill over his teeth. No motivation for the shooting is known yet.
The mayor of Cleveland, Justin Bibb, who is a member of the Democratic Party, blamed Republicans in Ohio for the shooting. He said that Republicans in Columbus, Ohio, led the passing of Senate Bill 215, after which “an uptick in shootings” across the state followed. He pleaded with the GOP to give mayors “more tools” to remove more guns off the streets.
Bibb said he was “sick and tired” of the GOP blaming the mayors “for violent crime,” and that they need to be held “accountable” for passing gun laws he described as “dangerous.”
Senate Bill 215 was signed into law last year in March by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. The bill allows people over 21-years-old to carry a handgun concealed without a government permit, which is usually called “Constitutional carry.”
Democrats argue that such legislation makes it easier for criminals to obtain and use firearms, while Republicans argue that criminals will always break the law to purchase weapons and that strict gun control laws mostly hurt average Americans who want to defend themselves against criminals.
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