STATEMENT OF U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JAN SCHAKOWSKY ON THE SHOOTINGS IN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA
July 5, 1999
STATEMENT OF U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JAN SCHAKOWSKYON THE SHOOTINGS IN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA
EVANSTON, IL "My community breathed a sigh of relief that Benjamin Nathaniel Smith shooting and killing spree has ended. He has left us grieving for Ricky Byrdsong and his family, the Asian student and angry for the assault on Orthodox Jewish men peacefully observing the Sabbath.
EVANSTON, IL "My community breathed a sigh of relief that Benjamin Nathaniel Smith shooting and killing spree has ended. He has left us grieving for Ricky Byrdsong and his family, the Asian student and angry for the assault on Orthodox Jewish men peacefully observing the Sabbath.
"I congratulate law enforcement for so quickly identifying this individual, for its work with the community, and for putting an end to this rampage. Many questions still remain, including the role of white supremacist hate groups and the manner in which Smith purchased his weapon.
"This 4th of July weekend, we must all rededicate ourselves to building a society where people are free to practice their religion and be who they are without fear of violent attack. We must do everything in our power to eliminate the hatred that is the root cause of this violence. Congress must act now to make it more difficult for individuals like Benjamin Smith to obtain the weapons that allowed him to convert his hatred into terror and death."