[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 222 (Wednesday, December 30, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        GUN VIOLENCE IN ILLINOIS

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, as we work to combat the COVID-19 
pandemic, we must not forget our Nation's epidemic of gun violence that 
kills over 100 Americans every day.
  Even during the holiday season, the deadly toll of shootings has 
continued.
  On the day after Christmas, a gunman opened fire at a bowling alley 
restaurant in Rockford, IL, killing three and wounding three more. 
Mayor Tom McNamara has shown real leadership in this crisis. I ask 
unanimous consent that his statement be printed in the Record following 
my remarks.
  Thomas Furseth, Dennis Steinhoff, and Jerome Woodfork were murdered 
in that shooting. Among the wounded victims were a 14-year-old boy and 
a 16-year-old girl.
  We mourn the lives we lost and pray for all the victims and their 
families.
  We also give thanks to the first responders who so often rush toward 
the sound of gunfire so they can save as many lives as they can.
  In this case, officers from the Rockford Police Department arrived at 
the scene within 1 minute of the 911 calls and took the shooter into 
custody. Their conduct may sound routine to some, but make no mistake, 
their lives were at risk, and their courage was exceptional. We should 
never take the valor of so many in law enforcement for granted.
  In the city of Chicago, at least 30 people were shot, 8 fatally, 
during the Christmas weekend.
  The victims included a 57-year-old man who was killed while driving 
in his car, a young man killed while standing in a park at 9 in the 
morning, and a 24-year-old woman killed while sitting in a parked car.
  We mourn these victims and pray for their families and for the 
wounded. But we must also dedicate ourselves to reducing these deadly 
shootings and to making our streets, our schools, and our neighborhoods 
safer.
  This is a national problem. According to the Gun Violence Archive, on 
Christmas Day and the day after, there were six mass shootings across 
the country, defined as an incident where at least four people were 
shot. There have been 23 such shootings so far in December. Has this 
wanton, deadly violence become so routine that we are numb to it until 
it touches our homes and our families?
  We must do better. Have we become so indifferent to gun violence in 
America that Senators in the highest legislative body in our land 
refuse to try to make our Nation safer? We must work for reforms like 
universal background checks and cracking down on illicit gun 
trafficking. And we must work to support children and families who have 
faced violent trauma and to address disparities in healthcare and 
economic opportunity that contribute to increased violence.
  Too many funerals, too many tears, too many lives lost to the scourge 
of gun violence.
  We must do better.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record. as follows:

       Email From Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara Re Dec. 26 Shooting

       Dear Friend,
       As we all know, it has been such a difficult year and now a 
     tragic week for our city. Last Saturday, three people lost 
     their lives in a horrific and random act of violence at Don 
     Carter Lanes, a long-time anchor of our community. Three 
     others sustained serious injuries in the attack, with two of 
     them still fighting for their lives. As we move to the 
     conclusion of what has already been an arduous year, we find 
     ourselves coming together to support the families who lost 
     their loved ones, the survivors and their families, and the 
     employees and owners of Don Carter Lanes.
       Don Carter Lanes is a staple in Rockford and has been for 
     decades. It's a family-owned business that hosts tournaments, 
     charity fundraisers, birthday parties and also is a long-time 
     supporter of our business community. This is a difficult time 
     for owner Brad Sommer, the employees, and the entire bowling 
     family. I know we will come together as a community to 
     support them during this time.
       Rockford is at its best when times are tough and already 
     we've seen examples of this in the wake of Saturday night's 
     incident. The Rockford Police officers who responded within 
     one minute of the first 911 call are heroes who ran toward 
     the danger. They entered the building quickly and without 
     hesitation to protect lives and apprehend the suspect. We 
     should all be grateful for their actions.


                          GoFundMe Fundraiser

       While working through the trauma of this incident, the 
     owners of Don Carter Lanes set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to 
     benefit the shooting victims and families. You can donate by 
     visiting: https://gofund.me/62caa4df.


                    Illinois Bank & Trust Care Fund

       And, Miracle Mile Rockford, a business association serving 
     owners, neighborhood groups and residents in the area around 
     Don Carter Lanes, has set up a care fund in partnership with 
     Illinois Bank & Trust to accept donations to benefit the 
     families impacted by the shootings. IBT has begun the fund 
     with a generous $5,000 donation and community donations can 
     be made at any IBT location or via online or mobile banking. 
     Click Here to donate or for more info.
       While last week's events are heartbreaking, we can all be 
     proud of and heartened by the reaction of our community. 
     Thank you for your continued support of my work as your mayor 
     and for your support of our great city.
       Tom

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