RICHMOND, VA – Yesterday evening, a mass shooting that left two dead and five injured occurred following a high school graduation in the heart of Virginia’s capital city.

Immediately following the horrific shooting, Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears hijacked a law enforcement press conference to deliver a dangerous political tirade in front of the active crime scene.

Today, Democratic Party of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker released the following statement:

“Our thoughts today continue to be with the victims and families of this evening’s mass shooting in Richmond. These grieving families in Richmond and across the commonwealth are why we fight for common sense gun safety legislation. It is to prevent tragedies like this that we champion an assault weapons ban, background checks, and red flag laws.

We are disgusted, yet hardly surprised, by Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears’ comments following yesterday’s shooting in Richmond. She campaigned as a hardline pro-gun ‘activist’ and a poster child for the NRA. Simply put, serious times need serious, thoughtful leadership – and Lieutenant Governor Sears is not a serious leader.

I’m calling upon Governor Youngkin to publicly disavow her comments. The Lieutenant Governor’s remarks on behalf of the entire Youngkin administration were self-serving, inflammatory, outrageously dangerous, and hurtful. Virginians need to know that these types of statements are not welcome in our commonwealth.”

###