Attorney General says he ‘intentionally avoided politicizing’ the Swedish Hospital shooting. Other officials just went silent.

Following the tragic incident at Swedish Hospital where a Chicago police officer was killed and his partner critically injured, there has been a noticeable lack of response from some of Illinois’ most active social media politicians. The accused gunman, Alphonso Talley, a seven-time convicted felon, used a concealed firearm to carry out the attack while under arrest for armed robbery and having escaped electronic monitoring.

While some legislators have remained silent on the matter, others have chosen to speak out. Illinois Sen. Mike Simmons expressed his sympathy for the officers and their colleagues, committing to finding ways to make communities safer. However, Rep. Hoan Huynh has not issued a press release in over a year and did not respond to requests for comment regarding the shooting.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, known for his prolific press release operation, made a conscious decision to avoid commenting on the shooting. He expressed condolences for the officers and their families but chose not to politicize the tragedy, emphasizing the need to prioritize community safety and end preventable gun violence.

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and State Rep. Kam Buckner have not addressed the shooting on their social media platforms, focusing on other community announcements instead. State Sen. Elgie Sims pushed back on calls to revisit the SAFE-T Act, describing the incident as a “one-off.” Despite this, there has been no public condemnation of the shooting from Sims.

As the debate around electronic monitoring requirements and pretrial release of repeat violent offenders continues, it remains to be seen how lawmakers will respond to this tragic event. The lack of engagement from some politicians raises questions about their priorities and commitment to addressing issues of public safety.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story. Support our work by clicking here to ensure original reporting continues.