UPDATE: August 28 at 5 p.m.
Gov. Andy Beshear ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in remembrance of victims in Wednesday's shooting in at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
The shooting took place in a church where young students, parents and other worshipers participated in mass marking the first week of school, making it both a school shooting and place of worship shooting.
"As a dad, it's hard to comprehend," Beshear said.
Beshear called school shootings "unamerican" and wrong, emphasizing the need for enhanced safety measures.
"Every American child should be safe when they go to school," Beshear said.
The governor noted that schools and places of worship have become frequent targets, requiring increased protection efforts.
"We've got to understand in this world right now, anywhere that a lot of people congregate - we've got to be thinking about how to make it safer," Beshear said.
Kentucky's school security improvements
Beshear highlighted Kentucky's progress in improving school security and safety measures. The state currently has 842 school resource officers guarding Kentucky schools daily, representing a 104% increase since 2019.
Nearly 100% of schools have implemented mandatory new security requirements, including electronic locking front doors, surveillance cameras, locked classroom doors, classroom window coverings and threat assessment teams.
"1,315 public schools in our Commonwealth are following the state mandated security requirements," Beshear said.
Governor advocates for red flag law
Beshear also expressed support for implementing a red flag law in Kentucky. Such legislation seeks to help temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or others.
"I mean, Florida has one. Why shouldn't we?" Beshear said. "We trust courts to determine someone's freedom and incarcerate them if they've broken the law. We trust our courts to determine the custody of our kids. Surely, we can trust them - an institution that is designed to interpret the constitution - to protect the second amendment while also stepping in and preventing murder."
Multiple efforts to pass gun regulation in Kentucky have been unsuccessful to date.
Original Story:
Governor Andy Beshear has ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff on Aug. 31 in remembrance of the Minneapolis shooting victims, in accordance with a proclamation from the White House.
“American children should be safe and feel safe in their schools, yet our country is mourning the heartbreaking loss of two children – each a child of God – taken too soon by yet another senseless act,” said Gov. Beshear. “Today, Kentucky stands with Minneapolis and all the families affected.”
Gov. Beshear encourages all Kentuckians to join in the tribute.
