Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón on Wednesday addressed steps he believes elected officials should take to prevent mass shootings.
“We are in this position today because we have leaders in our country who are willing to disregard public safety, sell assault rifles to 18-year-olds and spread racist hate if it helps them win elections,” Gascón said. “Thoughts and prayers are not enough – they never have been – we must demand action.”
Gascón called for the following:
- Implement reasonable gun control. People should not have access to assault rifles or ghost guns, he said.
- Reinvest in struggling communities and address issues like poverty, homelessness and lack of economic opportunity.
- Fund programs proven to stop violence, like after-school programs, employment and income assistance programs and violence interruption programs.
Kareen Wynter reports for the KTLA 5 Morning News at 11 a.m. on May 18, 2022.