Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) mentioned the Chicago teen who was fatally shot Tuesday as he began questioning witnesses at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the issue of gun violence.
He noted that Hadiya Pendleton marched in the inaugural parade last week: “It was the highlight of her young life.
An audible gasp in hearing when Sen. Durbin told panel that 15 yr.old girl who marched in Obama inaug. was fatally shot in Chicago yesterday
— Sari Horwitz (@SariHorwitz) January 30, 2013
“Just a matter of days after the happiest day of her life, she’s gone,” Durbin said. Addressing the gun violence epidemic in Chicago, Durbin said the biggest problem is the city is “awash in guns.”
“The confiscation of guns per capita in Chicago is six times the number in New York City,” Durbin said. “We have guns everywhere and some believe the solution to this is more guns. I disagree. When you take a look at where these guns come from, 45 percent plus are sold in the surrounding towns around Chicago, not in the city.”
