Minnesota Gov Tim Walz strongly criticized Ohio Sen JD Vance's recent remarks about school shootings during a speech at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in Washington, DC, on Saturday, according to USA Today.

"It's a fact of life that some people are gay," Walz said. "But you know what's not a fact of life? Our children being shot dead in schools."

Walz was responding to comments Vance made Thursday at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona, where the senator called school shootings a "fact of life" and advocated for increased school security measures. Vance's remarks came one day after a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, that left four people dead and injured eight students and one teacher.

"I don't like that this is a fact of life," Vance had said. "But if you are a psycho and you want to make headlines, you realize that our schools are soft targets. And we have got to bolster security at our schools."

Speaking to approximately 3,500 attendees at the HRC dinner, Walz highlighted his and Vice President Kamala Harris' records on LGBTQ+ rights. He noted that Harris was among the country's first officials to officiate same-sex marriages.

Walz also shared his personal experience as a high school teacher in Minnesota, where he served as the faculty advisor for his school's first gay-straight alliance club in 1999. He mentioned that one of the students who helped start the alliance, Jacob Reitan, was present at the dinner. "It's easy to be an ally, what really matters is knowing who's going to be at your side to stand up when it's hard," Walz said.

Throughout his speech, Walz repeatedly criticized Vance and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He accused the Trump administration of inaction on issues like childhood poverty and childcare costs. "They didn't do anything on lowering childcare costs," Walz said, before referencing a recent Trump proposal to use tariffs to fund childcare. "Did you hear? He's got a plan on childcare costs that no one in the world understood a damn word about."

Here's Colin Gray, the father of the Apalachee High School shooter, at his first court appearance after being charged with murder in Georgia.

He's facing up to 180 years in prison for giving his son the AR-platform gun to use in the shooting.

Good!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/FKytbTVGBJ

— Art Candee (@ArtCandee) September 6, 2024

 While criticizing the Republican ticket, Walz emphasized the importance of Democrats running on a concrete plan rather than simply hoping for victory. He outlined several policy goals, including lowering taxes for working families, enacting family and medical leave, and passing the Equality Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"You look around this room, you can feel hope. We hope we win this election. We hope we pass these laws. We hope we lift people out of poverty," Walz said. "But my wife always reminds me of this, it's not a damn plan. It's not a plan to hope we win this election. We've got to have a plan. We've got to work for it," he added.

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Chicago experienced a devastating surge in gun violence over the extended July 4 weekend, with more than 100 people shot and at least a dozen fatalities, according to police reports. CNN reports that from July 3 at 6 p.m. CT through July 7 at 6 a.m. CT, at least 100 individuals were struck by gunfire, with 17 succumbing to their injuries. An additional two shootings occurred later on July 7.

The wave of violence marks a significant increase from the previous year, with approximately 27% more shootings compared to the 2023 holiday weekend. Last year, the Chicago Sun-Times reported 73 people shot, including 11 fatalities, during the four days.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed the crisis on Friday, expressing deep concern over the recent events. "We are devastated by the recent violence that has left our city in a state of grief and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and communities impacted by these recent events," Johnson said in a statement. He affirmed the city's commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents and visitors.

Mayor Johnson puts on a good show with his faux outrage, but the mass shooting in Greater Grand Crossing is a direct result of his policies.

The mayor can huff and puff, but "working together" still requires leadership.

And @ChicagosMayor doesn't provide leadership whatsoever. pic.twitter.com/e4h9VwqllF

— Chicago Contrarian (@ChicagoContrar1) July 6, 2024

In response to the escalating situation, city officials implemented several measures. These included canceling time off for police officers to maximize presence, activating an emergency services assistance center, and organizing a community rally to promote healing and support.

Despite these efforts, the violence continued unabated. Among the victims was an 8-year-old boy, shot alongside two other children aged 5 and 8. The police department's online records also indicate that several teenagers between 15 and 16 years old were among those shot.

While Chicago reported 617 homicides in 2023, police data showed a 13% decrease in murders compared to the previous year, when 709 people were killed. However, this recent spike in violence has raised concerns about the city's ongoing struggle with gun-related crimes.

The surge in shootings during the July 4 period is not unique to Chicago. According to CNN's analysis of Gun Violence Archive data, July 4 has consistently been the day with the highest number of mass shootings in the United States since 2014.

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Hanson Larkin, 25, was in an Orlando federal court the same day, charged with making threats through interstate communication to, according to police, a Jewish man that included: "If meeting me for five seconds is not worth the lives of multiple Jews then I have no other option" and "There's a Chabad near me. And Amtrak has no security for weapons. Don't make me make a choice they'll regret."

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A Jewish man, Lizardo Rivas, 44, allegedly rejected romantic advances from Larkin and notified authorities of the threats.

Rivas said he has communicated with Larkin for two years, and that the suspect has expressed bigotry toward Jews and had suicidal thoughts.

Larkin appeared in court again on Tuesday and was denied bail. He could face up to five years behind bars if convicted.

Also on Friday, a 45-year-old man in Daytona Beach, Fla., was charged with making threats, including against Jews.

Leo Arong Jr. posted the threats as comments on YouTube during a livestream of "PBS NewsHour." They included, "I hate jews because I am an inbred LOSER. We have to kill jews in order for LOSERS like me to feel relevant. Thank you."

He was charged with making written threats to kill or harm people related to a mass shooting or act of terrorism and was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail. He was denied bail.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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The US attorney's office in Pittsburgh filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against 46-year-old Robert Bowers in last year's attack.

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The government filing said that justification for a death sentence included allegations of substantial planning and premeditation, the vulnerability and number of victims, and motivation of religious hostility.

It also listed the injury, harm, and loss caused to the victims and the choice of the Tree of Life synagogue as the site of the attack.

The notice accused Bowers of targeting the worshippers "in order to maximize the devastation, amplify the harm of his crimes, and instill fear within the local, national and international Jewish communities."

Bowers has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial. His lawyers did not return messages seeking comment. A spokeswoman for US Attorney Scott Brady declined to discuss the filing.

Prosecutors wrote that the death penalty will be justified if Bowers is convicted of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs resulting in death or of using a gun to commit a crime of violence.

Bowers is accused of using an AR-15 rifle and other weapons to target worshippers in the Tree of Life synagogue during Saturday morning services in October. Seven people were also wounded, including five police officers.

Police have said that he expressed hatred of Jews during and after what was the deadliest attack on Jews in US history.

Shortly after the shootings, before Bowers was publicly identified as the suspect, US President Donald Trump said the perpetrator should "suffer the ultimate price."

"I think they should very much bring the death penalty into vogue," Trump told reporters in October.

"Anybody that does a thing like this to innocent people that are in temple or in church. We had so many incidents with churches. They should really suffer the ultimate price."

Two weeks ago, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to a 120-day extension in the case.

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