Dan Lanning speaks about 'evil' in wake of gun violence, Charlie Kirk shooting

On Saturday, Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning took a moment to use his platform to send a message. It came after a tumultuous week in America that saw multiple shootings, one that left two students injured at Evergreen High School in Denver on Wednesday, and another that left political activist Charlie Kirk dead after a rally in Utah. A couple of weeks ago, two kids — ages 8 and 10 — were killed at a mass shooting in Minnesota.

Kirk was reportedly an Oregon Ducks fan, which is something that Lanning says he learned about after his death. Regardless of his leanings, whether it be in sports or politics, Lanning says that what happened has no place in our society.

"That sort of evil should never exist in our country, and that's what it is — evil," Lanning said. "I remember sitting down with my kids and explaining what happened, and they're talking about people talking about it at school. And it's just sad, right? Every day, it seems like we deal with some sort of violence that's going on in our country, whether it's school kids in Colorado or kids in Minnesota at churches. I mean, life matters, and I think we've lost sight of that."

One thing that Lanning did point out was how much he felt the world could learn from a team like his and the culture that exists in the locker room. With a group of young men from all walks of life and every corner of the country, there are different viewpoints, political beliefs, and religions all present. Despite that, they love each other and connect at a familial level.

"You walk in that locker room, you've got guys of different races, guys of different backgrounds, different religions, and you've got a team that loves each other," Lanning said. "Tons of differences — where they come from, what they deal with, and ultimately, you've got a team that loves each other, and I think we're missing some of that in our country."

While there's a significant faction of our population that might not have agreed with the things that Charlie Kirk said or stood for, Lanning argues that it shouldn't matter, and shouldn't make it okay for someone to "be God" and decide to take his life.

This is not the first time that Lanning has used his platform to stand up and send a message about violence in our nation. He has spoken on multiple occasions about gun violence in school, calling for changes in our world that will protect people, especially the younger generation.

This statement from Lanning came after the Oregon Ducks' 34-14 win over the Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday. While that may have been what built the platform for Lanning to speak, it was not at the top of his mind after the game.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Dan Lanning speaks out on gun violence following Charlie Kirk shooting