2020 Democrats demand action on guns after Santa Clarita shooting

Democrats seeking their party’s presidential nomination demanded action on gun control Thursday after a shooting at a Santa Clarita high school. 

Authorities said at least one person died and at least five others were injured after the shooting at Saugus High School. A suspect is in custody, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to The Hill. 

Democrats in the presidential primary have been calling for stricter gun control measures, to varying degrees, for months. As information about Thursday’s shooting came out, many took the chance once again to push for action on gun control. 

“Heartbroken and praying for Santa Clarita. I’m incredibly grateful to the first responders who are on the scene of this active situation. If you are near the area, please listen to law enforcement,” California Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted. 

“Our children and communities are being terrorized. We can’t accept this.”

Heartbroken and praying for Santa Clarita. I’m incredibly grateful to the first responders who are on the scene of this active situation. If you are near the area, please listen to law enforcement.

Our children and communities are being terrorized. We can’t accept this.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 14, 2019

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who has made a progressive gun control platform a key aspect of his 2020 campaign, shared a similar call to action. 

“We don’t have to accept our children being terrorized by guns. We demand gun safety. We need to bring a fight to the NRA,” he tweeted.

My heart goes out to the students, teachers and parents in Santa Clarita. Thank you to the first responders and law enforcement who are still on the scene.

We don’t have to accept our children being terrorized by guns. We demand gun safety. We need to bring a fight to the NRA.

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) November 14, 2019

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued a call for lawmakers to pass “common sense gun legislation.”   

“This must end. Children in America should not live in fear for their lives at school or anywhere else. We have a moral obligation to say: children’s lives are more important than gun manufacturers’ profits. We must pass common sense gun safety legislation,” Sanders tweeted. 

This must end. Children in America should not live in fear for their lives at school or anywhere else. We have a moral obligation to say: children’s lives are more important than gun manufacturers’ profits. We must pass common sense gun safety legislation. https://t.co/vTY0RleNKJ

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) November 14, 2019

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said “we must act now.” 

“I’m heartsick for the victims of this horrifying shooting and their families. We shouldn’t have to live like this. Students shouldn’t live in fear when they go to school, “ she tweeted. “We must act now to end gun violence.”

I’m heartsick for the victims of this horrifying shooting and their families. We shouldn’t have to live like this. Students shouldn’t live in fear when they go to school.

We must act now to end gun violence. https://t.co/w7QSrSC9n6

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 14, 2019

Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, a Democrat from California, said as a parent of two school-age boys, a shooting like the Thursday event in Santa Clarita is his “worst nightmare come to life.” 

“Too many young boys and men in particular are falling through the cracks in ways that can become catastrophic. We have to rebuild our capacity to form and educate healthy boys and men,” he tweeted. “The first thing is to make it harder to get access to guns, particularly for young people. We need to take action on federal gun safety legislation that most Americans agree is long overdue. We owe our kids this. They deserve action. They deserve better than this.”

As the parent of two school age boys this is our worst nightmare come to life. I can only imagine the pain, anguish and heartbreak of the families. No one should fear sending their kids to school or going to school.

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) November 14, 2019

The first thing is to make it harder to get access to guns, particularly for young people. We need to take action on federal gun safety legislation that most Americans agree is long overdue. We owe our kids this. They deserve action. They deserve better than this.

— Andrew Yang (@AndrewYang) November 14, 2019

Texas Democrat Julián Castro said “we cannot accept this as normal,” and said “we must act on behalf of our children.”

My heart goes out to the Santa Clarita community as they respond to a mass shooting at a high school.

Thank you to the first responders, teachers, and parents responding to the scene.

We cannot accept this as normal. We must act on behalf of our children.

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) November 14, 2019 

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg said “it is time to hold the NRA and our leaders in Washington accountable.” 

“We don’t yet have all the details of the horrifying events in Santa Clarita. But we do know that in America today, children are scared to go to school. Parents and teachers are terrified. And that can’t stand. It is time to hold the NRA and our leaders in Washington accountable,” he tweeted.

We don’t yet have all the details of the horrifying events in Santa Clarita. But we do know that in America today, children are scared to go to school. Parents and teachers are terrified. And that can’t stand. It is time to hold the NRA and our leaders in Washington accountable.

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) November 14, 2019

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said it’s “another sad example” of why students across the nation “live in fear of gun violence.” 

“Another sad example of a school shooting & why students across the country live in fear of gun violence. We all stand with CA victims and neighbors, students & teachers & law enforcement as they work to track down & stop suspect from shooting more people,” she tweeted.

Another sad example of a school shooting & why students across the country live in fear of gun violence. We all stand with CA victims and neighbors, students & teachers & law enforcement as they work to track down & stop suspect from shooting more people. https://t.co/MoeWdiYOz1

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) November 14, 2019

Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) also stressed the urgency in passing gun reform, tweeting “we must act now.” 

“My heart is with Santa Clarita today. No one should be afraid to go to school. This isn’t the America I grew up in, but it’s reality for my three daughters & kids nationwide,” he tweeted. The horrible epidemic of gun violence is an existential threat to their generation.”

My heart is with Santa Clarita today.

No one should be afraid to go to school.

This isn’t the America I grew up in, but it’s reality for my three daughters & kids nationwide.

The horrible epidemic of gun violence is an existential threat to their generation.

We must act now. https://t.co/c7fiAkiTSS

— Michael Bennet (@MichaelBennet) November 14, 2019

Marianne Williamson tweeted calls for blessings for the victims and the country. 

“Active shooter situation now at Santa Clarita, Ca. high school. May all of us who pray now pray – for blessing for the victims of this horror, for forgiveness for our country that we’ve allowed such things to fester & for the strength to be the people who rise up & say ‘No more!’” she tweeted.

Active shooter situation now at Santa Clarita, Ca. high school. May all of us who pray now pray – for blessing for the victims of this horror, for forgiveness for our country that we’ve allowed such things to fester & for the strength to be the people who rise up & say “No more!”

— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) November 14, 2019