“Only reason we are alive is the shooter chose a different night.”
Ashton Kutcher has been extremely affected by this week’s tragic shooting at the Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks, California. The shooting took the lives of at least 12 people, including Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus.
The actor took to Twitter on Thursday to explain why this particular incident hits so close to home.
"My wife threw me a birthday party this year at the Borderline,” Kutcher, who turned 40 this past February, said of his wife, Mila Kunis. "Only reason we are alive is the shooter chose a different night. My heart goes out to the victims. I’ll say it again… Gun Reform now! Politicians need to stop standing behind the dollar and Protect the people!”
He went on to appeal to President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, writing, "@IvankaTrump, your brother-in-law was at that birthday party. He could have just as easily been a victim. You go to synagogues, you could be a victim! Talk to your dad! Plead with your dad! Let this be your legacy! Gun Reform now!”
Ivanka is married to Jared Kushner, the brother of Joshua Kushner, who recently married model Karlie Kloss. His tweet is also referencing the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue last month.
Kutcher went on to note that he grew up hunting and around guns, saying he worked at a gun club, and that he doesn’t want to take people’s guns away.
"The BS rhetoric around arming more people to protect others is just that, BS! Armed people got killed last night! Gun Reform now!!!” he wrote.
The actor also fended off calls for simply focusing on mental health in America.
"This isn’t an either/or it’s a both! Support mental health initiatives & support Gun Reform Now!!” he wrote. "My friend gave me a gun as a gift in the parking lot of the borderline on my birthday. I’ve never shot it. I don’t think I ever will. [Love] to the families of the lost. Change is coming.”
Kutcher’s voice echoes that of many other celebrities who spoke out in the wake of Wednesday night's shooting. For more, watch the clip below:
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