Oregon Gov. Kate Brown says now is not the time to debate gun control laws, despite President Obama’s impassioned plea to politicize Thursday’s shooting at Umpqua Community College.
“It’s very clear these types of tragedies must end — not only here in Oregon, but across the country,” Ms. Brown, a Democrat, told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.”
But when asked if she would prefer stricter gun laws, the governor said those talks should be reserved for a later date.
“Those are conversations for the days ahead,” she said. “Right now I’m focused, along with Oregonians across the state, on supporting the community.”
Her comments break from President Obama, who vowed Thursday to discuss gun control every time a mass shooting occurs.
“We know that other countries, in response to one mass shooting, have been able to craft laws that almost eliminate mass shootings — friends of ours, allies of ours — Great Britain, Australia, countries like ours. So we know there are ways to prevent it,” the president said only hours after a gunman fatally shot nine people on the Umpqua campus. “What’s also routine, of course, is that somebody, somewhere will comment and say, Obama politicized this issue. Well, this is something we should politicize.
“Each time this happens I am going to bring this up. Each time it happens I am going to say we have to change our laws. This is not something I can do by myself,” Mr. Obama said.
The firearms used in Thursday’s shooting were purchased legally, authorities said Friday. Some weapons may have been purchased by family members.
Thirteen weapons were recovered, six from the school and seven from the residence of alleged gunman Chris Harper Mercer, who was also killed in a shootout with police, said Celinez Nunez, assistant special agent in charge at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, The Huffington Post reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.