Dayton Community Members Demand Action Against Gun Violence After Mass Shooting
The crowd at a vigil in Dayton, Ohio― where a deadly shooting took place over the weekend ― on Sunday put Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in the spotlight, calling on him to take action on gun control legislation.
“Do something!” attendees chanted at the Republican governor as he offered condolences, according to a clip from NBC.
Chant of “Do Something!” breaks out as OH Gov Mike DeWine speaks at a vigil in #Dayton. @NBCNews @NBCNightlyNews pic.twitter.com/deeditNyQC
— Kate Snow (@tvkatesnow) August 5, 2019
DeWine has a mixed history with gun legislation. When he was a senator, his legislative support of gun control bills like background checks gave him an “F” rating from the National Rifle Association, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
He rose up to a “C” in 2014 after his first term as Ohio’s attorney general, and eventually received the NRA’s endorsement for his gubernatorial run.
The vigil crowd continued to chant over DeWine until Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley reminded attendees the vigil was intended to memorialize victims.
“This is a vigil tonight, this is a vigil for the people we have lost,” Whaley told attendees. “There will be time for action.”
At Dayton vigil, @MikeDeWine is drowned out by chants of “Do something!” Mayor @nanwhaley tells crowd the vigil is a night of love pic.twitter.com/ihEYf7Zgj2
— Cara Korte (@CaraKorte) August 5, 2019
A 24-year-old white gunman opened fire in the Oregon District at about 1 a.m. Sunday, killing at least nine people ― including the shooter’s sister ― and injuring 27. The suspect, Connor Betts, was armed with a legally obtained rifle with high-capacity magazines and body armor when he carried out the massacre. Police killed him at the scene in “less than a minute,” according to Whaley.
The Dayton massacre came hours after a man killed 22 people and injured more than two dozen more in a mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, and less than a week after three people died at a shooting in Gilroy, California. In total, at least 31 people died this past week in mass shootings.
Several Democratic presidential candidates spoke out Sunday to condemn the lack of gun control support by the GOP despite the toll that mass shootings continue to take on the country. Democratic lawmakers also called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to reconvene the chamber to vote on House-passed universal gun background checks legislation.
This story has been updated after the death toll increased Monday morning.
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