Gabby Giffords after Kentucky school shooting: Tighten gun laws to 'protect our kids'

Nathan J. Fish | The Arizona Republic

Show Caption Hide Caption Tucson memorial dedication on anniversary of Tucson mass shooting Former U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and other survivors attend the memorial dedication for Tucson's January 8th Memorial on the 7-year anniversary of the Tucson mass shooting. David Wallace/azcentral.com

PHOENIX — Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona called on Congress again to enact tougher gun laws to "protect our kids" in response to the most recent mass shooting in Kentucky on Tuesday.

The statement was released after a shooting Tuesday at Marshall County High School in Benton, Ky., in which two 15-year-old students were killed and 17 other people were injured.

The suspect, a 15-year-old male student, was apprehended at the scene and remains in custody, Bevin said.

The shooting took place at 7:57 a.m. local time, before the school day had started.

More: Two dead, 17 wounded in Kentucky high school shooting

More: Getting shot seven years ago gave me courage to fight gun violence: Gabby Giffords

The statement from Giffords, who was seriously wounded in a mass shooting that left six people dead and 13 others wounded at a 2011 campaign event near Tucson, called for strengthening gun laws.

"Why do we keep allowing this terror to happen? We know how to solve this problem," the statement read. "Congress can protect kids in their classrooms, in the cafeteria, and on the playground — but to do that they must strengthen our gun laws."

Giffords continued, saying it is "horrifying" that mass shootings no longer are "unimaginable"

"The reality is they happen with alarming frequency," Giffords wrote.

We know how to solve this problem. Congress can protect kids in their classrooms, in the cafeteria, and on the playground - but to do that they must strengthen our gun laws. https://t.co/bt0zkrBAcy — Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) January 23, 2018

Giffords went on to say the nation has already experienced 13 mass shootings this calendar year, not including the latest shooting.

"We will never accept these horrific acts of violence as routine," Giffords said. "We must continue standing together and demanding that our leaders not only acknowledge this devastating problem but take long overdue action to keep our children safe."

Giffords appeared earlier this month at the dedication in Tucson of a site where a memorial will be built honoring victims of the Jan. 8, 2011, shooting that injured the then-congresswoman.