Perry, Iowa – Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy expressed his concern about anticipated knee-jerk reactions from lawmakers pushing for gun control legislation following a school shooting where one student was killed and five others were injured.

During a meeting with voters, Ramaswamy emphasized his belief that the focus of legislative action should not be on guns, but rather on addressing mental health issues. “The temptation is just to pass some law, paper and over and say ‘We did something,’ in response to this,” he said. He also denounced the idea that gun control is the solution, calling it a “false hubris” and stressing the need to address the real ailment affecting the nation and its culture.

The shooting, which took place at Perry High School, resulted in the death of a sixth-grade student and injuries to four other students and a school administrator. The assailant took his own life, leaving the motive behind the attack unknown. The incident occurred just miles away from an event Ramaswamy was scheduled to hold, prompting his campaign to cancel the gathering and conduct a private prayer session instead.

Just prior to the shooting, Ramaswamy had already condemned gun violence as a manifestation of “psychological sickness” in the country. His stance was supported by other Republican candidates, with Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida similarly highlighting the importance of addressing mental health issues instead of solely focusing on gun control as a legislative priority.

As of Thursday night, the motive behind the school shooting remained unknown. The incident served as a grim reminder of the ongoing debate over gun control and mental health in the political landscape.