While lawmakers are still engaged in a heated debate on America’s gun-control issue, another tragic incident has been reported in Alabama. A 14-year-old teenager has allegedly confessed to shooting all five members of his family to death.
As reported by CNN , the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office took to its official Twitter account on Tuesday, September 3, and announced the tragic incident.
Per the tweet, the incident took place at a residence in the 25000 block of Ridge Road in Elkmont, a small town in Limestone County, Alabama.
According to the report, all five family members have died in the incident, including the suspect’s father (38), his step-mother (35), his younger brother (6), a sister (5), and his youngest brother who was only 6-months-old.
Providing further details, the sheriff’s office said in a tweet that the teenager called the police himself and confessed his crime.
“He is currently assisting investigators in locating the weapon, a 9mm handgun that he said he tossed nearby,” the tweet detailed.
In a successive tweet, the sheriff’s office revealed that the missing handgun has been recovered from the roadside near the residence where the suspect tossed it.
Per the CNN report, investigators are yet to establish the motive behind the killings, adding that the suspect is being held in an unspecified juvenile facility.
Upon reading the news, people showed a mixed reaction on Twitter.
“The family must [have] done something pretty bad for [the suspect] to wipe them all out. [The teenager] didn’t hate them for nothing!” one user opined.
According to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Department, a 14-year-old has confessed to killing five family members in the Elkmont community overnight. https://t.co/s7r79Iq8yJ
— ABC 33/40 News (@abc3340) September 3, 2019
“So sad to read this Tues morning. People need to be more responsible [with] their guns. Keep them locked in a safe place,” another person wrote.
A third Twitter user showed their anger and frustration with the country’s existing gun control legislation and tweeted the following. They also tagged U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the tweet.
“What is it going to take? How many has to die [before] you move on gun control legislation? Has your heart turned to stone? May God have mercy on you when you stand in judgement.”
On Saturday, August 31, at least seven people were killed and 22 people were injured in a mass shooting that took place in Texas. According to a separate article by CNN , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have called out Sen. Mitch McConnell and Republican leadership to take immediate action on gun control legislation.
“Every day, the epidemic of gun violence inflicts a devastating toll in communities in every corner of our country, forcing far too many to endure heartbreak and tragedy,” Pelosi said in a statement on Saturday, per CNN. “The Republican Senate must end its obstruction and finally pass the commonsense, bipartisan, House-passed gun violence prevention legislation that the country is demanding.”
Universal background checks for guns sales will save lives. Current background checks at retailers are saving lives already, but we need our laws to catch up with today’s reality of gun show, internet, and person-to-person sales.
We are not backing down. #GiveUsAVote , Mitch! pic.twitter.com/n2WPpOy3NI
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) August 28, 2019