paulryan.house.gov

Paul Ryan
Contact:


U.S. Rep. Ryan says "we're going to respond with solidarity" to shooting

Washington, Aug 8 -

By Craig Gilbert of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In an interview Tuesday night, Paul Ryan talked about the Oak Creek shooting that took place in his Wisconsin congressional district, saying “it’s gruesome, it’s horrendous, it’s disgusting,” but, “We’re not going to let it get our community down.”

Ryan has represented the Oak Creek area where the shooting occurred since the post-2000 redistricting. He said he knows the police officer shot and wounded in the temple attack, Lt. Brian Murphy, and has visited with the police department, the Sikh community and others affected by it.

“This is a very inclusive community. We practice pluralism daily,” Ryan said, talking to three reporters outside the Oak Creek Community Center before Tuesday night’s vigil, where he was joined by other elected officials such as Gov. Scott Walker, Sen. Herb Kohl, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

“What’s happening is the community’s coming together, and … there’s an outpouring of support of the Sikh community to show how much we view them as our community. We’re showing our love, our close support, our compassion,” said Ryan. “Sometimes you just can’t just explain these senseless acts of violence. … This is just a horrendous act by a tormented individual and we’re not going to let it get our community down. We’re not going to let evil triumph. We’re going to respond with solidarity.”

Asked about the community’s response going forward, Ryan said, “What I think we will want to do is go out of our way to include awareness of the Sikh community and just embrace them … the Sikh community is fairly well known and established here. … People know Sikhs are extremely generous, outgoing, very peace-loving, family-oriented people. That’s why it’s just horrendous to see somebody move into our community and do something like this."

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/165428146.html