On Tuesday, Representative Bob Thorpe (R-6) welcomed Steve Ronnebeck, the father of Grant Ronnebeck, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant on January 22, 2015.
Grant was killed while working as a clerk at a Mesa QuickTrip convenience store.
Mr. Ronnebeck shared his pain with the House, saying, “I miss my son every single day – my family has been devastated and ripped apart.”
“None of us can imagine the enormous pain of losing a child. The man joining me today experiences that pain every minute of every day,” said Representative Thorpe.
“At what point are we going to start acting like parents and begin having mature, thoughtful, and empathetic conversations about immigration and our insecure border without fear of offending someone?”
“We owe it to Steve, and the memory of Grant, to commit to a civil and serious conversation about these issues.”
Related article: As DC Debates DACA, Grant Ronnebeck Family Still Mourns
Grant’s murderer, Apolinar Altamirano, age 31, was a DREAMER when he shot Grant as he was counting the change Altamirano had spilled on the counter to pay for his cigarettes.
Steve has spent the years since Grant’s death bringing attention to the need for border security and against the reckless government immigration policies.