'Our hearts go out:' Leaders from city, state, nation react to Miller Brewery shooting

“I want to say thank you to the folks at Molson Coors and our first responders who acted quickly to contain the situation and get folks and students in the nearby areas to safety. We are still learning more details about what happened at Molson Coors earlier today. What we do know, though, is that more lives were lost in a mass shooting in Wisconsin. Our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were senselessly taken today, all of the folks and workers at Molson Coors, and the entire Milwaukee community as we grapple with yet another act of gun violence that will have long-lasting consequences for this community and our state.”

“My heart was torn apart when I learned the news of this tragedy. Our city grieves with all the innocent lives lost today. This is just the latest example of the painful toll that gun violence is having on communities across the nation.

The history and legacy of Molson Coors is a great pride of Milwaukee, and it’s an integral part of our vibrant community. It hurts to know that one of our economic and cultural staples was the location of such a violent tragedy.

While the details are still emerging, we know that our country needs to do more to prevent senseless gun violence. It’s a cruel irony that tomorrow will mark the anniversary of the House passing legislation to expand background checks on guns, which is languishing in the Senate.

The fight for stronger gun laws and greater investments in violence prevention measures such as de-escalation and conflict mitigation must continue and I am fortified to stay in this for Milwaukee.

While I’ll keep fighting in Washington D.C., I know that our city’s strong and resilient spirit will help us heal through this pain. I will always stand with the community and use my voice and power as a lawmaker to push for commonsense legislation that will make our communities safer.”

"I am profoundly saddened to learn about the number of lives lost today at a MolsonCoors facility. While we wait to understand the motive behind this tragedy, many of us are again shaking our heads in disbelief. We are forced to question if this was preventable? Were there warning signs? For now, however, we will humbly mourn the loss of life, support our neighbors and their families, and work to get through this difficult time."

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who were killed or injured in the devastating workplace shooting in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Our hearts go out to everyone affected during this unimaginable time."

"Acts of violence like this shake our communities to their core. We all deserve to feel safe at home, at work, and in our community."

"We are grateful to the first responders and law enforcement personnel who responded to this tragic incident. We appreciate their brave work and dedication to our community."

"Molson Coors is a part of our community and we are a part of theirs. They have been a part of Milwaukee’s near west side for over 100 years. We grieve over the loss of life and pledge to work to build the safest community we can. We are grateful for all that Molson Coors has done in conjunction with the Near Westside Partners to bring our neighborhoods together.”

"I join my colleagues, the residents of the 15^th Aldermanic District and the entire City of Milwaukee family in offering sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims of today’s horrific mass workplace shooting at Molson Coors (also commonly called MillerCoors)."

"If you can take a moment, please offer comfort to the loved ones of the victims, and also offer prayers and support for the workers of Molson Coors. The coming days and weeks ahead will be unimaginably challenging for them."

"The vile and heinous deadly violence that was perpetrated at the brewery complex today has no place in our society and makes no sense. The cold disregard for human lives and the lack of value for human life that was shown must be categorically denounced across Milwaukee, across Wisconsin and throughout our nation."

"We must work diligently each day to value our brothers and sisters, our neighbors, and even those we do not always see eye to eye with. We must look for the human value, the ties that bind us and the good and precious human spirit that each of us possesses."

"We must all try to keep alive the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said so poignantly: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“While some of the details of this afternoon’s tragic shooting at the Molson Coors campus are still hazy, one thing continues to be absolutely clear: it is past time to take real, decisive action in order to protect our communities from the scourge of gun violence. Because of the actions of one individual with irresponsibly easy access to a firearm, at least six Wisconsin families are mourning unfathomable losses, and an entire community has been traumatized. My heart goes out to all of the victims and their families, and they and everyone affected by the events of this afternoon are in my prayers.”

"According to reports, a recently-fired former employee in uniform opened fire and took the lives of at least six other Molson Coors employees at the company’s Milwaukee campus this afternoon. The shooting at Molson Coors this afternoon marks the tenth mass shooting in Wisconsin since 2004."

“But in times like this, thoughts and prayers are not - and never have been - enough. In the past 16 years, Wisconsin communities have suffered ten mass shootings, and countless other fatal and near-fatal incidents involving firearms. Time and again, public opinion polling shows that Wisconsinites are in favor of common sense gun reform legislation. We have committed community groups like Moms Demand Action and the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort who have organized their communities and continue to keep these issues at the forefront. We have a governor who specifically called a special session of the Legislature this session in order to address gun violence. And yet, time and again, bought-and-paid-for Republican politicians in this state do everything they possibly can to block simple and popular reform measures from making their way through the political process, all while more and more Wisconsinites die as a direct result of their antipathy and inaction. So today, I have one question for any politician who continues to block these life-saving reforms: how many NRA dollars are Wisconsin lives worth?”

“Milwaukee’s tragedy makes me furious. I’ve had enough of normal workdays ending in terror. I’ve had enough of families living with constant anxiety about active shooter drills and real-life tragedy. I’ve had enough of the shadow gun violence casts upon our daily lives. I’m fed up that we continue to tolerate a gun violence crisis that is ultimately preventable. The rest of America is, too.

“It's been one year since the House of Representatives passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. In that year, like the last, nearly 40,000 Americans died from acts of gun violence. Despite this crisis, despite the 90 percent of Americans who support universal background checks, Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell refuse to act. Every day they fail to act is a day we fail to protect our schools, workplaces, and communities. No sum of money, no political agenda, is worth the daily tragedy of gun violence in America. It’s time our country had leaders who understood what’s at stake.”

“The hearts of every Wisconsinite are heavy as we mourn those who lost their lives today in Milwaukee. These are men and women who came to work every day, proud to work for a hometown company like Molson Coors. I ask everyone to keep these men and women, their families, friends and everyone at Molson Coors in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”

“While we are still awaiting additional information on the MillerCoors shooting, our prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones today in the wake of this tragedy.  We applaud the rapid response of the first responders who reacted to the MolsonCoors campus with expedience. It has been reported there are least seven fatalities and one person wounded as result of the active shooter situation; which also placed local schools as well as the Harley Davidson Corporation on lockdown. We will continue to keep the community updated as we receive further information from the authorities."

"Today’s workplace shooting at Miller Coors Brewery is a terrible tragedy and our hearts are heavy with sorrow for all the workers and their families impacted by this senseless act of violence. Every working man and woman who goes into work each day should be able to go home to their loved ones and their family members at the end of each and every shift, safe and sound. Thank you to the brave first responders who rushed in to assist in this time of crisis."

“Mary Jo and I are praying for all those impacted by today’s shooting in Milwaukee, including the victims and their families. May God’s peace ease your suffering at this time."

"My profound thanks go to all the law enforcement and first responders who arrived on scene. The coordination between multi-jurisdictional departments is evident in the response and should be commended and admired by those throughout the community."

"MolsonCoors and Miller Brewing are not just Milwaukee companies, they are woven into the fabric of Wisconsin. Please remember not just those that lost their lives and loved ones today, but also the thousands of employees who are impacted by today’s events."

"Today and coming days should be focused on the victims and healing while we learn the facts of today’s events.”

“All of us at the IBEW are shocked and saddened to learn of the senseless deaths. We pray for the friends and families of those who were lost, for those fighting to recover, and we offer our support to all of those involved. IBEW members work hand-in-hand with other tradesmen and tradeswomen to make the brewery operate, and a tragic event like this rocks our entire labor community.”