Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke about 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee’s murder during a Democratic forum hosted by MSNBC Friday night.
Clinton spoke with host Rachel Maddow about gun violence prompted by both law enforcement and civilians. The democratic front-runner described a trip to Chicago she took on Monday to speak with mothers of young gun violence victims, including the mothers of Hadiya Pendleton and Trayvon Martin.
Clinton explained to Maddow that during the meeting, she learned of Tyshawn’s murder. “This has to end,” said Clinton during the forum. “I mean it's one of the reasons why I am so passionate about gun safety and ending the violence. Whoever uses the gun, people need to stop and think.”
Fourth grader Tyshawn was lured into an alley and murdered Monday afternoon in what is believed to have been a "targeted" shooting, Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy announced Thursday.
Tyshawn was killed near his grandmother’s home in Chicago's Gresham neighborhood while still in his school uniform. Investigators said the boy was shot multiple times in the head and back.
Authorities believe Tyshawn's murder is gang related. Supt. McCarthy claims the boy's father has gang ties and is not cooperating in the investigation. He said the two gangs and people allegedly involved in the shooting are known, but police can't prove "who did what."
In a tweet sent out Monday, Clinton called the shooting of Tyshawn “devastating.”
Clinton’s closest competitor Bernie Sanders was also questioned about gun control during Friday night's forum. He said he believes he could put together a national consensus that agrees to keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have them.
“I believe coming from a rural state, that I can bring together the 60 or 70-percent of the American people who are sick and tired of seeing these horrific massacres that appear almost every couple of weeks,” said Sanders.
