ARS & the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence Respond to the Gun Tragedies in Pike County, Ohio
April 22, 2016 – Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and retired Navy combat veteran and NASA astronaut Capt. Mark Kelly, the Co-Founders of Americans for Responsible Solutions, and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence today responded to the tragic shootings in Pike County, Ohio that left at least seven people dead, including five children.
“Once again, a gun tragedy has destroyed a family and torn a community apart. On a early spring morning, at least five young children and two adults were gunned down in their homes. While we have yet to learn the full details of this senseless tragedy, we know that at least seven young lives were cut short by a dangerous person with a gun – and those children were robbed of their opportunity to grow up,” said Congresswoman Giffords and Captain Kelly.“The horror that unfolded today in Ohio begs the question: How many more headlines like these will Americans have to read before our leaders act to make our communities safer from gun violence? We grieve for the Ohioans whose lives were tragically taken today and we are praying for strength for their loved ones. Today, our hearts are in Pike County.”
“117,000 Americans are shot every year. Today, seven people were killed with a gun in Pike County, Ohio, five of them children—one just five days old. We’re tired of saying we’re outraged by this horrific, preventable violence,” said Robyn Thomas, Executive Director of the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which recently merged with Americans for Responsible Solutions. “Again and again, the research has shown that smart gun laws—many of which Ohio lawmakers have shamefully failed to enact—significantly reduce gun deaths. It’s past time that our leaders stand up to the gun lobby and demand the commonsense solutions that we know save lives.”
About Americans for Responsible Solutions
Founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Navy combat veteran and retired NASA astronaut Captain Mark Kelly, Americans for Responsible Solutions (ARS) is committed to advancing commonsense change that makes communities safer from gun violence and encouraging elected officials to advance responsible firearms policies. Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC is committed to helping elect candidates from both parties who support commonsense laws that make communities safer from gun violence. Learn more at responsiblesolutions.org and at @Resp_Solutions.
About the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Founded in the wake of the July 1, 1993, assault weapon massacre at 101 California Street in San Francisco that left eight dead and six wounded, the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence is now the premier resource for legal expertise and information regarding state and federal firearms laws. Made up of the foremost gun law attorneys in the nation, the Law Center tracks and analyzes firearms legislation in all 50 states, files amicus briefs in critical Second Amendment cases across the country, and works with lawmakers and advocates to craft and promote legislation that will reduce gun violence and save lives. We regularly partner with other nonprofit organizations dedicated to combating the epidemic of gun violence in our country, and we invite you to explore our website, smartgunlaws.org, and to follow us on Twitter @smartgunlaws to learn more about our work and deepen your knowledge about gun laws in America.