Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana took to the social media platform X to reveal that he signed Representative Wiley’s bill into law, which would allow the harshest penalties for anyone who brings gang violence into public spaces.
Various commenters took to the replies to express their dissatisfaction with this stance, with some claiming it actually punishes the people of Louisiana. Others expressed gratitude for Landry’s actions in backing the bill.
The video above features Governor Jeff Landry taking action after a recent shooting at the Mall of Louisiana, where he held a press conference and promised change. With this new bill, Landry explains, “This law sends a clear and direct message to criminals: do not bring your gang violence or personal vendettas into our public spaces. You’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws. You’ll get the harshest penalty we have: the death penalty.”
The particular shooting that Landry is referring to within the Mall of Louisiana revolved around two rival groups, implying that it was not random. The shooting killed one teenager and sent five others to the hospital.
This decision did not bode well with those who own firearms, with many expressing their frustrations in the comments.
Reactions to Louisiana Governor’s Anti-Violence Bill
Commenters who were particularly angry with Governor Landry were focused on various matters, such as those with lawful concealed weapons. One person wrote, “How about a law that makes businesses and establishments that deny lawful concealed carrying of weapons by citizens, or is designed as a Gun Free Zone, civilly and criminally liable for damages when a shooting happens resulting in harm or death?“
In the same vein, a different comment read, “All this law does is punish people more harshly which is not a deterrent to violence or crime.” Another commenter took a screenshot of a page on the Office of Justice website that answers the question ‘Does increasing severity of punishment deter crime?’ The response to this reads, “Increasing the severity of punishment does little to deter crime.”
A different screenshot from this same user was from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and read, “No, Longer Prison Sentences do not Reduce Crime.”
Other commenters were less critical of Governor Landry’s decision, with one person writing, “Thank you Governor Landry.” Another comment read, “As someone who personally knows Jeff Wiley, If he is behind this bill then I trust it’s for the betterment of society. One of the few people I would ever trust to guide our society.”
As the post and attached video continue to gather comments, more and more people are expressing their criticisms.
