Missouri is perceived by some to have some of the most lax gun laws in the country. Gov. Mike Parson said more mental health resources are needed, not more gun laws.
“It’s just really unfortunate that everyone wants to go to the political point of the guns when you have a tragedy like this,” Parson said. …
“Bad people doing bad things are going to find ways to do those things,” Parson said. “You can make all the guns illegal that you want, but the bottom line is someone is going to go get one, and they’re not law-abiding citizens anyhow.” …
“It’s just unfortunate,” Parson said. “It’s a terrible, tragic event. I don’t even if the politics of it is going to solve anything at this point.” …
“When you go into some of the cities with the strictest gun laws, they have the highest homicide rates in the United States, so you know that’s not the answer,” Parson said. “Trying to regulate guns, that doesn’t work, we know that. That’s the political argument and again, if you’re someone that’s mentally unstable, you don’t know what that reaction is going to be. You can pass all the laws you want for that, but if they aren’t abiding by the law, it’s not going to make any difference.”
— Emily Manley in Parson Says More Mental Health Resources Needed Following Deadly School Shooting, Not Gun Laws