Biden announces executive action on gun control
On April 8, President Joe Biden announced his first executive action on gun control issues. Biden announced six new actions aimed at reducing gun violence in America, specifically on tightening regulations on “ghost guns,” which are homemade firearms that are assembled without serial numbers. The proposed law regarding ghost guns would require each of the parts sold to have a serial number and the buyers of the parts to receive background checks as they would if they were buying an assembled firearm.
Former pro-NFL player kills five, injures one during shooting
Five people were killed and one person hospitalized with serious injuries after a shooting occured in South Carolina on the evening of April 7. The next morning, it was announced that the shooter was former pro-NFL player Phillip Adams, who had originally played for the San Francisco 49er’s and moved through five other NFL teams before retiring in 2015. Police say that, after the shooting occured, Adams returned to his home, where police later evacuated his parents before finding Adams dead by apparent suicide. While the motive for the shooting is unclear, the victims and the suspected shooter were previously acquainted. According to ESPN, Adams will be examined for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) during the autopsy, which “has been shown to cause violent mood swings and other cognitive disorders.”
More information released on investigation of Matt Gaetz
In early April, it was announced that Florida U.S. representative Matt Gaetz was being federally investigated for sex trafficking. Federal prosecutors are examining whether Gaetz paid underage girls in exchange for sex. While Gaetz continues to refute the claims, data recently obtained from his Venmo account shows at least one $900 payment to accused sex trafficker Joel Greenberg, who then distributed the same amount to three different girls, with at least one being underage. Since the investigation into Gaetz was announced, more than 30 new allegations have come out against Greenberg accusing him of sex trafficking.
Colorado vaccination site temporarily closes after adverse reactions
A COVID-19 vaccination site in Commerce City, CO closed on April 7 after nearly a dozen patients began experiencing adverse reactions after being vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The 11 people reported feeling immediately nauseous and disoriented only minutes after their shot. Two people were sent to the hospital for further observation while the nine others recovered quickly after being given juice or water and were cleared to leave. State public health officials explained that, while there is no reason for further concern about the vaccine or the vaccinations that occurred that day, they would pause vaccinations at that site on the side of caution.
