Kansas City mayor speaks openly about gun violence

Kansas City’s mayor, Sly James, had some strong words this week about gun control, while on the scene of the city’s latest triple homicide. A man, woman and baby were all found shot to the death Tuesday on the city’s south side. Right now there are no suspects.

Mayor James was frustrated with the lack of action, when some solutions appear to be obvious.

“Idiots who have guns are going to use those guns for bad things, and until we come to grips with that and start taking guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them, we’re going to continue to have this; it’s just that simple, and we keep saying it and saying it and saying it and it never, ever changes,” says James.

James admitted the issue was sensitive for many people, but he pointed to a much larger, deadlier problem.

“Everybody wants to protect their rights but while we’re doing all of that, we’re forgetting that people are being killed at ridiculous rates.” He put the blame on people who refused to address the continuous flow of weapons in the United States.

“When guns are prolific as candy in some circumstances, people are going to abuse them, and it’s going to result in people dying. It’s the same old stuff. We know what’s going on in terms of violence, we just don’t have the guts to change it,” said James.

Watch the full, unedited interview with James here. (approx. 1 min, 45 sec.)