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Doctors remind NRA after hospital shooting: ‘This is our lane’

Earlier this month, the NRA told doctors to 'stay in their lane' about gun control.

 

Alex Dalbey

IRL

Posted on Nov 20, 2018   Updated on May 21, 2021, 1:13 am CDT

A man with a handgun killed four people at a hospital on Monday, causing renewed anger against the NRA, which recently chided doctors for advocating for stricter gun control laws.

On Monday afternoon, 32-year-old Juan Lopez went to Mercy Hospital in Chicago and confronted emergency room doctor Tamara O’Neal about a “broken engagement,” according to the Chicago Tribune. The confrontation turned violent when Lopez pulled out a handgun and repeatedly shot O’Neal before being confronted by police who responded when they heard gunfire. He exchanged fire with police and went into the hospital. He ended up killing 28-year-old police officer Samuel Jimenez, as well as Dayna Less, 25, a pharmaceutical assistant at the hospital who was exiting an elevator and was shot. Lopez was found dead inside the hospital with a gunshot wound to his head.

The violent attack in a place of healing has renewed the medical field’s anger against the NRA. Earlier this month, the gun lobby organization tweeted, “Someone should tell self-important  anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane.” They linked to an article about titled, “Physician Group Rehashes Same Tired Gun Control Policies.” Many doctors responded by pointing out that, as people who have to treat the wounds created by guns, it is definitely their lane.

In the wake of the shooting at Mercy Hospital, there is a renewed backlash from medical professionals. Doctors speaking out and demanding change to prevent further gun violence are using the hashtag #ThisIsOurLane, directly naming and shaming the NRA for taking a stand against medical expertise related to gun violence.

https://twitter.com/Rick_Pescatore/status/1064658266234474496

Some people are also using the hashtag to memorialize O’Neal.

https://twitter.com/roto_tudor/status/1064722247666016257

In the article the NRA shared several weeks ago, it railed against doctors for citing studies that showed concealed carry laws may cause more violence than they prevent. The NRA asserted that the key to stopping gun violence is law enforcement. Lopez, prior to the first shot fired on O’Neal, was breaking no laws, as he had a legal concealed carry license

H/T Huffington Post

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*First Published: Nov 20, 2018, 10:14 am CST