Friday night's deadly shooting in Santa Barbara that left seven dead, including the shooter, has renewed calls for gun-control by some as a means to put a stop to senseless mass-killings.
People gather at a park for a candlelight vigil to honor the victims of Friday night's mass shooting on Saturday, May 24, 2014, in Isla Vista, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Richard Martinez, the father of a 20-year-old University of California, Santa Barbara student who was shot to death during the rampage, placed blame for his son's death on the National Rifle Association and pro-gun politicians.
"Our son Chris Martinez and six others are dead," Martinez said. "Our family has a message for every parent out there: You don't think it will happen to your child until it does."
"Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live?" the father passionately continued. "When will this insanity stop? When will enough people say, 'Stop this madness!' We don't have to live like this! Too many have died. We should say to ourselves, 'Not one more!'"
Martinez's sentiment was echoed Sunday morning by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) who appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" and urged Congress to reconsider gun-control legislation.
“A year and half ago it seemed like we were on the verge of, potentially, legislation that would stop the madness and end the insanity that has killed too many young people, thousands, tens of thousands since Sandy Hook,” Blumenthal said.
“I hope, I really, sincerely hope that this tragedy, this unimaginable, unpseakable tragedy, will provide impetus to bring back measures that would keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people who are severely troubled or deranged like this young man was," he continued.
The Democratic senator then cited a statistic that claimed "90-percent of the American people want background checks to be heard, to be responded to and to end the madness and insanity.”
Former CNN host and vocal gun-control proponent Piers Morgan also weighed in, following the tragedy, calling America's gun laws "insane" on Twitter.
He said that "every single American must watch" Hernandez's statement to the public.
AMERICA'S GUN LAW DISGRACE: A mentally unstable 22-yr-old legally buys 3 semi-automatic handguns and shoots up random strangers.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2014Some Americans think I'm the only 'idiot' alive who finds their gun laws insane. Actually, it's most of the rest of the world.
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 25, 2014On Saturday evening, police identified the Santa Barbara shooter as Elliot Rodger, 22. Calling him “severely mentally disturbed,” Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said the 22-year-old stabbed to death three individuals at his residence “prior to [the] shooting rampage” that took place near the University of California, Santa Barbara campus Friday night.
Three victims have since been identified.
Just hours before, the 22-year-old suspect had posted a chilling video to YouTube describing his murderous intentions.
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