WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) today released the following statement on the shooting at Capital Gazette headquarters in Annapolis:
“Today’s news of yet another mass casualty shooting – this time in our state’s capital – is devastating. Details are still unfolding, but this much we know: multiple Maryland families will go to bed tonight without their loved one. These families are right now reckoning with the worst news a person can possibly receive. My heart hurts for them and my deepest condolences and prayers are with them.
“I want to thank Anne Arundel County Police and all the first responders who rushed into danger to save the lives of others today. This tragedy could have been even worse without their quick action. I also want to thank the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for responding to the scene and assisting local law enforcement and the Maryland State Police.
“Condolences and prayers are not enough. It is a tragedy that this cycle of gun violence continues to play itself out, over and over again, while lawmakers offer thoughts and prayers instead of action. This cycle must end, and it must end with us. Our country’s gun violence epidemic requires our collective urgency and honesty. We must put an end to the suggestion that Americans must choose between their Constitutional rights and the safety of their families. That is patently false. We are fully capable of having both, and we must insist that we do.”
###
