LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts pointed Thursday, May 26 to the need for more mental health services to help identify and assist troubled Americans as a means of addressing gun violence like this week's most recent attack that killed 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas.

"The gun is just a tool," the governor said in answering a question from Jeff Zeleny, chief national affairs correspondent for CNN, during a speaking appearance at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics.

Ricketts went on to say that depriving Americans of their 2nd Amendment gun ownership rights is not the answer to gun violence. Instead, it is important to "look for signs" of mental illness that may lead to violence and address those needs, he added.

He also said he is "open to ideas to be preventative" in addressing gun violence within the context of protecting the 2nd Amendment.

Ricketts also commented on the sharp political division that's apparent in the country today, especially in the wake of gun violence.

"Politics (in America) has always been divisive," Ricketts said. "We'll get through this ... but it's not going to happen fast."

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