Louisiana Pol: People Are Dead Because We Didn’t Take Action on Gun Control
RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
BOLDUAN: "Louisiana state representative Terry Landry is joining us now. Represent, thank you very much for your time. I'm, of course, it goes without saying you could never imagine, you would never, ever hope something like this would happen at all, especially in your district. Tell me, though, what went through your mind when you heard about this senseless tragedy?"
LANDRY: "Well, we certainly were appalled and taken back. We know that this community is better than this. We believe that America is better than this. I took and shared the president's sentiments that we have these conversations too often and it's just appalling to me that all the violence we have had in this country at the hands of people that are mentally deranged in the name of terrorism or anti-government is appalling and really senseless that innocent people are dying because we will not have a sensible conversation about sensible gun restrictions. I'm a proponent of the second amendment with certain restrictions. This state released, had liberal laws. Two years ago we passed a strict scrutiny law to give exclusive gun saying it's exclusive right. This is really appalling. We are not doing our community, we're not doing our children any good when the kids were murdered and slaughtered in Sandy Hook, that didn't move this nation to really have a conversation about the violence. We have four unsolved murders in the district I live in. There's not an outcry. We have to stop and have a conversation about stopping the violence in this country and permeating and causing us grief and pain."
BOLDUAN: "Representative, one of the things obviously that's happening in regards with this shooting in the hours just after it is trying to figure out who this man is and why this senseless act happens in Lafayette at that movie theater. A thing we are learning from Alabama is that the man had mental health issues. Are you learning more about that? You mentioned mentally deranged a moment ago. Are you hearing more about what those mental issues were with this gunman?"
LANDRY: "Well, in our last briefing by the department of -- by the way, the law enforcement in this community and this state have been remarkable in their response and containing this situation, ensuring that no one else are injured. But the loophole is a common discussion about the gun laws and how people can go to a gun show and purchase a gun without having a check of mental health capacity. But briefing I have with the gentleman was -- had been treated for mental capacities. To the extent and the degree, I don't have a clue. But it tells me we have a loophole in the laws to be addressed. Incumbent on Congress and local legislators to decide how are we going to solve these mass killings and these killings in the community that's happening every day? Across America, people are killing, Chicago. I can go on and on and on. It's the way of life in some people. It is ridiculous and shame on us if we don't fix this situation."
BOLDUAN: "Yeah. One of the big questions right now and I don't think we have gotten a good answer is how the man got the gun. Legally or illegally? We note he was denied a concealed carry permit at least in Alabama lingering questions. I know you have or demanding the same answers that everyone else is. State representative Terry Landry, thank you very much."
