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.
Proud of @RepSwalwell for speaking out on this issue that is plaguing communities all across this nation.
— Joseph Sakran (@JosephSakran) November 19, 2018
The Time for Action is Now! @ThisIsOurLane #ThisIsOurLane #ThisIsMyLane https://t.co/dWjCoSjwhU
https://twitter.com/Rick_Pescatore/status/1064658266234474496
You know who are still at work? The doctors and staff at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, IL, during and after a violent attack, because literally #ThisIsOurLane
— Shelley Sahu Kalsi (@SahuShelley) November 19, 2018
Some people are also using the hashtag to memorialize O’Neal.
https://twitter.com/roto_tudor/status/1064722247666016257
This evening, Dr. Tamara O’Neal was shot 6 times, murdered while at the hospital where she worked as an ED physician along with a police officer and 2 others. https://t.co/4vVADYfYZ3
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) November 20, 2018
Welcome to our lane, @NRA.#ThisIsOurLane
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
