Chicago White sox closer Liam Hendriks called for stricter gun control following a mass shooting at a July 4 parade at Highland Park, Ill.
Sadly, it is yet another day in the United States where there was a mass shooting that left innocent civilians dead. At a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, IL, a gunman opened fire into the crowd, leaving at least six people dead and 30 injured.
Ahead of the team’s game against the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks spoke with the media, where he advocated for stricter gun control following the tragedy. You can listen to Hendriks’ comments below, courtesy of NBC Chicago’s Slavko Bekovic.
“I think the access to the weaponry that is being kind of used in these things is .. Something needs to change,” Hendriks said, h/t the Chicago Sun-Times. “Something needs to be done. Something needs to happen because there’s way too many people losing their lives and it’s not only about the people who lose their lives. The families of that, the tragedy they go through, the entire community when people are concerned about leaving the house, concerned about doing the day to day things of going to work or any number of these things.
“We really need to reflect on what’s going on.”
Liam Hendriks calls for stricter gun control after Highland Park mass shooting
As heard in the video above, Hendriks spoke about the gun culture in America, where he brought up the example of how he as a non-American could walk into a store to buy a handgun in certain states. That, and he said that he had to take a driver’s test, but buying a gun would not require a test.
“That’s what America is known for,” Hendriks said, h/t the Chicago Sun-Times. “They are known as the superior… there’s are a lot of things that are good over here but you look at the negatives and it’s just the complete… I can walk into a store as a non-American and buy a handgun in certain states. That baffles me. I had to take a driving test when I was over here. I won’t have to take a test if I want to get a gun. That’s stupid. Whoever thought that was a great idea is an idiot.”
Hendriks is the latest athlete to speak out in support of gun control. Following the Robb Elementary School shooting on May 24 that left 19 children and two teachers dead, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr pushed for gun reform.
The White Sox released a statement following the shooting, saying that after consulting MLB, that they would be holding their game as scheduled. But in response to the tragedy, the White Sox announced that they were canceling their fireworks celebration that was scheduled to take place after the game.
A person of interest in the shooting has been taken into custody.