Alabama leaders speak out after 2 mass shootings in a week

MONTGOMERY, Ala. ( WIAT ) — Two mass shootings in Alabama over the past week have caused concern for state leaders.

A shooting in Birmingham resulted in the deaths of four people over the weekend. Five people, including four children, were killed in a Bibb County shooting Thursday.

State Rep. Kenyatté Hassell (D-Montgomery) is speaking out after nine people died from two mass shootings in Alabama. Hassell said the solution to gun violence lies within families.

“We have to strengthen families. We have to have a good structure of family,” Hassell said. “If I have family members that I know that’s involved in certain things, I want to approach them in a way and say, ‘Hey, let’s put the guns down.’ And I think that’s how the whole community holistically can help with it.”

State Rep. Russell Bedsole (R-Alabaster) serves in law enforcement and said gun violence can be attributed to several factors. But he said the root cause is pure evil that society must work to address.

“I think you have to look at certain factors of whether that this was something that occurred in an urban setting or a rural setting,” Bedsole said. “Was this something as a direct result of some other criminal activity?”

Hassell said helping our youth through mentorship is a grassroots way to help our communities.

“You, my family, the institution of family I tell people is God’s first institution,” Hassell said. “And I think if we get back to some of those values, and it don’t take — it don’t cost money. It don’t cost us anything. I think if we get back to some of those values.”

Bedsole said lawmakers are discussing ways to reach youth early on before they get indoctrinated to illegal activity.

“But I can tell you, at the end of the day, I believe that some of what our kids are exposed to so early on is a contributing factor of the cycle of violence,” Bedsole said.

Bedsole’s advice is we must communicate with each other with empathy and respect regardless of the argument.

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