In reference to the Highland Park mass shooting which left at least six dead and dozens injured, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL) said the last time she heard such rapid gunfire was in Iraq and “not on American soil.”
During a Fourth of July parade in downtown Highland Park, Illinois, a shooter fired a “high-powered rifle” at a large crowd of watchers full of the elderly and children, from the rooftop of one of the buildings, according to police.
As seen in a clip posted on Twitter shortly after the incident, onlookers initially mistake the sounds of gunfire for fireworks. Many remain seated for several seconds before fleeing from their spots.
In a press conference on July 4 following the mass shooting, Duckworth took to the podium following Illinois Gov. Pritzker to comment on the tragedy.
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“I just listened to the sound of that gunfire from one of the videos that was captured,” said Duckworth, with law enforcement behind her. “And let me tell you that the last time I heard a weapon with that capacity firing that rapidly on a Fourth of July was Iraq.”
“It was not the United States of America.”
Sen. Duckworth is a decorated war veteran and Purple Heart recipient. While serving in Iraq in 2004, a helicopter she was co-piloting was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. She lost both of her legs as a result of the attack.
The senator also added that “bipartisan compromise” on gun laws was not enough, calling on the need to ban assault weapons.
“We have to do more to keep our communities safe. We have to get rid of assault weapons, high capacity magazines and so many other additional common sense reforms that majorities of Americans are crying out for.”
She finished her statement by insisting, “We can and we should and we will do better.”
Featured Image via WGN News
