The archbishop of Chicago says "hateful rhetoric" from some of the country's leaders is partly to blame for mass shootings.
Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich issued a statement Sunday in the wake of deadly mass shootings in Ohio and Texas that claimed at least 29 lives in less than 24 hours and wounded numerous others.
Cupich didn't name anyone specifically, but says the public needs to hold leaders accountable "who fuel these violent acts by dividing humanity through hateful rhetoric." He says "elected officials who have failed to condemn hate speech" must be stopped.
"Mass shootings are not an inevitability. All human beings have the right to live without violence. To behave otherwise is to advance a lie," Cupich's statement reads in part.
"Stopping this lie begins with holding accountable our elected officials who have done nothing to address gun violence. Inaction only cements the idea that these tragedies are acceptable and that the weapons that enable them are simply common features of American life today."
In the Texas border city of El Paso, a gunman opened fire Saturday in a shopping area, killing 20. Hours later in Dayton, Ohio, a gunman opened fire in a popular nightlife area, killing nine.
