Kansas officials are reacting to this past weekend’s deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

Governor Laura Kelly issued a statement sending her thoughts to the people of El Paso and Dayton, but she also called for lawmakers to address the issue of gun violence. Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall called for people to stand against racism, terror and violence in all forms.

Governor Laura Kelly Statement:

My thoughts go out to the people of El Paso and Dayton today. And, to everyone touched by these tragedies. Unfortunately, they are not alone. 

We have now seen our 251st mass shooting for the year. We have seen hundreds of communities ravaged by gun violence, thousands of lives lost and countless others forever changed through the loss of their loved ones. In addition to the mass shootings, there also was the shooting death of 25-year old, Erin Langhofer – an innocent bystander – who was killed in Kansas City this past weekend. 

This is not normal. We are in the midst of a public health crisis and we should not wait for another gun-related tragedy to occur to take action. It’s time we do something about this before it’s too late. It’s time to implement real, common sense gun-safety laws. 

For now, we are focused on the victims of these mass shootings, their families and the communities that they called home. However, in the coming weeks we must address this issue. We must end gun violence now. 

Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall Statement:

As the details of yesterday’s shooting in El Paso are made known, I wish to condemn – in the strongest terms – racism in all forms. This massacre should be taken as seriously as any other act of terror. And with further tragedy and killing in Dayton, Ohio, yesterday, it should remind us all that terror and senseless violence does not just come from one country, state, ethnicity or faith. We must stand against it in all forms.