Kerr calls for ‘common-sense gun laws’ following Sacramento shooting

A moment of silence was held for the victims of the Sacramento shooting during the Golden State Warriors’ game against the Kings on Sunday. 

But Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he doesn’t think moments of silence “do anything” while he called for tighter gun control laws. 

“I think it’s the right thing to do to have a moment of silence, but it’s the ninth or 10th moment of silence I’ll experience as coach of the Warriors as we mourn the losses of people who have died in mass shootings. So I don’t think moments of silence are going to do anything,” Kerr said during a pregame press conference before Warriors’ 109-90 win at Sacramento. “At some point, our government has to decide are we going to have some common-sense gun laws. It’s not going to solve everything, but it will save lives.”

The shooting in the California capital early Sunday killed six people and wounded a dozen more. Sacramento Police have not yet identified a motive for the shooting. 

“Investigators are working to identify those responsible for this horrific act,” Sacramento Police Chief Katherine Lester said Sunday afternoon. “We know that a large fight took place just prior to the shootings. And we have confirmed that there are multiple shooters.”

“Everybody with the Warriors, we all share in your city’s grief.”

Steve Kerr comments on the devastating mass shooting in downtown Sacramento. pic.twitter.com/wJ3OJ0Mc0V

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 4, 2022

The shooting took place a few blocks away from the Kings’ Golden 1 Center. Kerr, who often gives his opinions about political or social issues, said Congress doesn’t approve gun control laws that he views as common sense because it doesn’t have “guts.”

“That 80 to 90% of Americans support background checks and you know, you think about all of the common-sense laws we could and should put in place,” Kerr said. “If we had any guts, if our government had any guts, if people put others in front of their own career paths, you know, in front of their own reelection campaigns, in front of their own propaganda to manipulate people. It’s right there in front of us.”