LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Louisville begins the slow road to recovery, some believe the first move is gun reform.
That includes the family of Old National Bank mass shooter Connor Sturgeon. The family said they want the AR-15 he used to kill five and injure eight others, destroyed.
The firearm was purchased six days before the shooting.
"This tragedy is yet another indication that meaningful, common sense gun safety measures must be enacted. We respectfully urge the Kentucky state legislature to lead the way by changing Kentucky law to remove the gun auction provision," the family said.
Bob Irvine, a longtime friend of the late Tommy Elliott, said the "legislature has a 22-caliber mentality when it comes to gun-related issues" in an opinion piece he submitted to WHAS11 News.
"I could not believe that they had this law when I first heard about it," Irvine said. "I think what Tommy would say, is 'Do something, for God's sakes, do something."
By coincidence, Irvine submitted his op-ed to WHAS11 the same day the shooter's family came out strong for reform — a significant parallel he believed.
"Absolutely. And I have to tell you something. I've prayed about them. I've grieved for them. I mean, I just can't imagine how hard it's been on them to go through this," he said.
The calls fall in line with Mayor Craig Greenberg's directive since getting elected: destroying guns instead of sending them off to the KSP auction block.
"It's an interesting symbolic gesture, but I want the public to know that is a symbolic gesture," Republican Councilman Anthony Piagentini said.
He believed we must look toward other ideas, although he's against having a red flag law for Kentucky.
"They can take immediate action, right, put together a task force going after illegal guns, immediately putting together some emergency group tackling mental illness or mental health," he said.
While his views differ from most at the local level, there's agreement on one front; giving Louisville autonomy to deal with guns.
"I'm interested in that because I represent Louisville, and I want as much flexibility for the people as local as possible," Piagentini said.
Irvine hopes his personal tragedy can create palpable change in Louisville.
"What we had last year, last week, when that law came to, that's an insult to the terrible injury, this whole city has failed," he said. "And so maybe, just maybe I can do something, other people can do something to get these laws changed in the state."
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