HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JULY 12: (L-R) LeBron James, winner of Best Record-Breaking Performance, speaks onstage during The 2023 ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre on July 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)
LeBron James is expressing his sadness following the horrific mass shooting that occurred at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on Wednesday.
Police, according to NBC News, identified a man named Anthony Polito who carried out a 40-minute attack, resulting in three deaths and multiple injuries on the school’s campus.
While law enforcement officials have yet to uncover what the motive was behind the shooting, celebrities such as James are speaking out and demanding a change in gun laws across the U.S.
“My condolences go to the families that lost a loved one,” the Lakers star shared.
“Guns in America, it’s such a longer conversation but we are the only ones dealing with this same conversation anytime it happens and it just continues to happen.”
James stressed the urgent need for society to address and reform the root causes of these violent acts, believing they are deeply embedded in societal issues.
James says that despite every shooting tragedy Americans endure, there has been little to no change in the methods of use and sale of guns in the U.S. Regardless of whether these shootings occur at the movie theatre, schools, or bars, the crime rate isn’t slowing down, and the 38-year-old wants people to rally behind the idea of enforcing stricter gun laws once and for all.
“The ability to get a gun, the ability to do these things over and over and over there’s been no change…it’s literally ridiculous,” he continued. “We’re losing innocent lives in schools, shopping markets and movies theaters.”
“It’s ridiculous and we haven’t changed anything. It has actually been a lot easier to own a firearm. It’s stupid.”
The shooting occurred through multiple floors at the university before cops were able to intervene and “neutralize” him, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said in a statement.
Two detectives shot Polito right outside one of the main buildings at the university, following a confrontation, as students rushed to evacuate the scene.
BBC News reports that Polito had previously applied for a job at the same university but they rejected him. Investigators suspect that this rejection may have fueled resentment and anger in Polito, which ultimately led to his devastating actions.
Officials believe that all of the victims who tragically died in the shooting were staff members and not students.
Police are also investigating whether Polito had intentionally targeted these people. This would rule out the possibility of this being a random attack.
