FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Democrats, including several members of the Kentucky Black Legislative Caucus, came to the Capitol Monday to speak about what they call a "growing crisis" of gun violence.
The members said they intend to meet with Republican leaders to address the issue.
After a mass shooting at Old National Bank that left five people dead and several others injured, Louisville police records show as many as eight more people were killed and 13 others were hurt due to gun violence within the same week.
“People are literally dying in our communities each and every day,” said Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal, D-Louisville. “The first responsibility of government is the safety of its citizenry, and to the extent we do not do all that we can to protect life, we have failed in our responsibility. We can do no less.”
House Minority Floor Leader Derrick Graham, D-Frankfort, echoed support for Kentucky to pass a red flag law to stop tragedies before they occur.
“There are times when we need to step in and stop someone before they harm themselves or harm others,” said Graham. “These laws have shown their worth in other states and I believe the commonwealth of Kentucky should have one as well so that we have one more tool to stop gun violence.”
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg (D) said last week that under current law, guns like the rifle used in the shooting at Old National Bank will eventually be auctioned off, and Kentucky should change the law to allow for it to be destroyed.
“I don’t know if it will rise to the need to have a special session, but certainly, we need to address that,” said Rep. George Brown, D-Lexington. “Those guns do not need to be put back on the street that have been used to kill people and to violate citizens’ rights in the state.”
The mayor’s office provided the following statement from Greenberg Monday: “I have spoken with several lawmakers, from both parties, who want to see solutions to tackle the gun violence epidemic facing our city. These conversations are just the first step. We must turn these private conversations into meaningful public policy. We are going to continue to work with anyone interested in pursuing real solutions to gun violence.”