After the Wednesday murder of two reporters in Roanoke, Va., former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton renewed calls for increased gun control.
During a campaign press conference in Ankeny, Iowa, Clinton said she was “stricken” by the deaths of WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward. Clinton went on to say that America has “got to do something about gun violence,” adding that she hopes this will finally spur action on the issue.
“I was so just stricken to think that that these two young people doing the work that you guys do every single day would be murdered on live television,” Clinton began, sending her condolences to families and co-workers of Parker and Ward.
“But I will also reiterate we have got to do something about gun violence in America,” Clinton said. “And I will take it on. There are many people who face it and know it, but then turn away because it’s hard.”
“It’s a very politically difficult issue in America,” she continued. “But I believe we are smart enough, we are compassionate enough to figure out how to balance the legitimate Second Amendment rights with preventive measures and control measures so that whatever motivated this murderer, who eventually took his own life, we will not see more deaths — needless, senseless deaths.”
“So yes, I fell great heartache at what happened and I want to reiterate how important it is we not let yet another terrible instance go by without trying to do something more to prevent this incredible killing that is stalking our country,” Clinton said.
The 2016 Democratic front-runner also pushed for universal background checks and help for troubled individuals, saying these are two things that could help address gun violence.
“I hope that in addition to expressing sympathy to those directly affected, that this is maybe for the media, for the public, for elected officials, for every American what it hopefully will finally take to act,” Clinton added.
