Holly MatkinSacramento, CA – Politicians have been demanding more anti-gun laws in the wake of the mass shooting in Sacramento over the weekend, even though the suspects arrested for their alleged involvement in the attack were felons who were already prohibited from legally possessing firearms.
Six people were murdered and 12 more were wounded in the area of 10th Street and K Street after multiple gunmen opened fire at approximately 2 a.m. on April 3, The Sacramento Bee reported.
It has been described as the worst mass shooting in the history of Sacramento.
Sacramento police announced on Wednesday that the incident erupted after at least five gunmen from at least two rival gangs opened fire on one another, the Associated Press reported.
Only two suspects have been arrested so far.
Both are convicted felons who cannot legally possess firearms, but they were apparently undeterred by such legalities.
Smiley Martin, 27, was just released from prison early in February after he served just half of a 10-year prison sentence for brutally beating his then-girlfriend, the Associated Press reported.
He has been charged with possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
His brother, 26-year-old Dandrae Martin, has been charged with being a convict carrying a loaded gun, the Associated Press reported.
The Martin brothers were both wounded in the mass shooting.
Police are still searching for the additional gunmen.
President Joe Biden immediately used the shooting to prop up his anti-gun platform.
“We must do more than mourn; we must act,” Biden said while pushing Congress to adopt more anti-gun laws, according to The Sacramento Bee. “Ban ghost guns. Require background checks for all gun sales. Ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Repeal gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability.”
U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) echoed the President’s call.
“This isn’t an isolated event. It’s the latest in an epidemic of gun violence that continues to plague our country,” Feinstein tweeted on Monday. “Congress needs to act and pass commonsense gun safety legislation including universal background checks, banning high-capacity ammunition magazines and military-style assault weapons and outlawing untraceable ‘ghost guns.’”
Feinstein said they path to obliterating gun violence is simple – we just need more laws.
“Congress knows what steps must be taken to stop these mass shootings, we just have to act,” she declared.
California Senate Majority Leader Robert Hertzberg (D-San Fernando Valley) agreed that he and his fellow politicians have the power to “save lives” through new laws.
“I’m deeply saddened for the people of Sacramento today. But I’m also angry. Angry that there is more we can do to stop gun violence like this from happening in the first place,” Hertzberg said, according to The Sacramento Bee. “Just blocks from the Capitol, this will be a reminder of action needed to save lives. #CaLeg will act.”
U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-California) cursed those who refuse to adopt anti-gun legislation.
“Damned be those lawmakers who enable massacre after massacre like this,” Swalwell declared. “We are a country of unrestricted weaponry.”
Others questioned whether or not police were even telling the truth about gangs being responsible for the mass shooting, the Associated Press reported.
California State University Los Angeles criminologist Bill Sanders claimed police often say incidents are gang-related in an effort to drum up support, according to the news outlet.
“If you looked at a map of gang homicides in the city — or any city — over time, you’d see the same areas lighting up — meaning that’s where they occur,” Sanders said. “If these guys were white, this wouldn’t be considered gang related — not even for a minute.”
Community activist Berry Accius denounced police for saying the attack was gang-related because he said it will just lead people to “think black people” were responsible, the Associated Press reported.
“That’s the narrative we don’t need at this particular time,” Accius complained. “This idea that we’re going to put blame to one demographic of folks and blame them for the violence that ensued.”
