Ohio State GOP Rep. D.J. Swearingen called for addressing the root causes of school violence rather than focusing on gun control during an appearance Tuesday on Newsmax's "The Chris Salcedo Show."
Following Monday's tragic shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, Swearingen emphasized the need to address the underlying causes of school violence.
The shooting left three people dead, including 15-year-old suspected shooter Natalie Rupnow, and six others injured. Two students remain in critical condition, while a teacher and three other students suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to officials cited by NBC News.
During the interview, Swearingen pondered why society has shifted its focus away from understanding the reasons behind the rise in school violence.
"Really, it's sidestepping the issue," Swearingen said. "Why are kids killing each other in schools, and why are we seeing this violence? I mean, this never happened when I grew up."
"There was a point in time where even like vice presidential candidate Tim Walz said he 'used to drive to school with a gun in his truck,'" Swearingen said.
Swearingen argued that gun control policies alone are insufficient, citing violence in other countries with strict regulations.
"You look at other countries in Europe, and they still struggle with just different kinds of violence, and they have all types of gun control in place," he said. "And they still see violence in their streets as well."
He stressed that guns are not the root cause of the problem, instead suggesting that attention must turn toward understanding the origins of such behavior.
"It's not the gun that's the problem. We need to look at why this is happening, and why it's occurring," Swearingen explained.
Swearingen warned against focusing only on surface-level issues, saying that until the root causes are identified and addressed, society is "just addressing the symptoms and not the root issue."
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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