LA Lakers star LeBron James speaks about the University of Nevada-Las Vegas shooting during a news conference at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
The NBA star shared his feelings on gun control and how “ridiculous” it is that nothing has changed.
LeBron James Speaks Out On Gun Control After Tragic UNLV Shooting On Wednesday
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James, who was in Vegas for Thursday night’s in-season tournament semifinals, spoke about the campus shooting, shared his condolences for all involved, and his thoughts on gun control issues.
“Yeah, my brother from back home texted me and told me to be safe out here because he heard about the shooting at UNLV. First of all, my condolences go out to the families that lost loved ones, family and friends and everything,” James said during a press conference ahead of the tournament semifinals in the inaugural season, which took place just a few miles from UNLV.
“It just goes back to what I said before about guns in America. I think it’s a longer conversation, but we’re the only ones who keep dealing with this same story, the same conversation every time it happens, and it keeps happening.”
He went on to talk about the fact that it was “ridiculous” that nothing had changed.
“The ability to get a gun, the ability to do this over and over again, and there’s no change is absolutely ridiculous,” he continued. “It is absurd that we continue to lose innocent lives, on campuses, in schools, in shopping malls, movie theaters, and all kinds of things. It’s ridiculous. And the fact that we haven’t changed anything, it’s actually easier to actually be able to own a firearm. It’s stupid.”
According to ESPN, the NBA also released a statement regarding the UNLV shooting.
“The NBA family is saddened by today’s senseless shooting at UNLV,” the statement said. “We offer our condolences to the family and friends of the victims, as well as the entire Las Vegas community.”
While there is currently no NBA franchise in Vegas, there is much talk of bringing one to the city in the near future. James has also talked about his desire to become a team owner.
And while no NBA team calls Vegas home yet, the city hosts the NBA Summer League and will be home to the inaugural in-season tournament semifinals on Thursday and the Finals on Saturday.
LeBron Has Spoken About Gun Control Before
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This isn’t the first time the Lakers star has spoken out about gun control. In 2015 and 2018, James openly discussed his frustration at how nothing had changed.
According to The Messenger, James spoke out in support of gun control in 2015 after a drive-by shooting in Cleveland claimed the life of 5-month-old Aavielle Wakefield.
James told reporters in October 2015, “I know what I saw. I know how I feel.” He went on to explain his stance on the issue of gun control.
“Obviously, you’re not going to be able to take out every gun, I don’t know how you can do that. There are so many around now, these days,” he said. “But if there’s some stipulation behind it or some penalties, some big-time penalties or rules or regulations about carrying firearms, legal or illegal, people will second guess themselves.”
LeBron James also discussed the same topic in 2018 after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that left 17 people dead.
“We have a kid who legally can’t buy a beer at a bar, but he can go buy an AR-15?” James said in February 2018. “We’ve seen these schools and these tragedies in America and there has been no change to gun control. I have no answer for this. But we have to do something about it.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
