Gabrielle Giffords on Maryland School Shooting: “America Can’t Keep Failing Its Children”
March 20, 2018 – Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the co-founder of the gun violence prevention organization Giffords, issued the following statement in response to the mass shooting at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland.
Statement from Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:
“Just days before America’s young people take to the streets to protest the failure of politicians to protect them, a school in Maryland became the latest place where students were forced to run from gunfire. Once again, classrooms were locked down and children were forced into hiding. Once again, we heard firsthand accounts from terrified children about what it was like to wonder if they would live or die. We saw parents desperately searching for information about the safety of their children.
“It’s been more than a month since the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and yet Congress has still failed to protect our children. Today’s tragedy is part of a larger epidemic of school shootings and gun violence that happens every single day, enabled by the refusal of Speaker Paul Ryan to allow votes on safer gun laws.
“Today, our hearts are with the victims, the students and teachers of Great Mills High School and our gratitude with the brave first responders who rushed to the scene.Tomorrow, we will follow the lead of students who have said enough. It’s time to turn our outrage and fear into hope and courage. Channeling that energy, we can remind our politicians that America must not keep failing its children. We will elect a Congress with the will to change our gun laws to finally make our schools the safe havens they should be.”
Background information about gun laws in Maryland is available here and background information about school shootings and the impact of gun violence on children is available here.
The following gun law and law enforcement experts are available for interviews. To arrange an interview, email media@giffords.org :
- Peter Ambler , Executive Director, Giffords
- Robyn Thomas , Executive Director, Giffords Law Center (Recently featured on 60 Minutes)
- David Chipman , Former ATF Agent, Senior Policy Advisor, Giffords
- Allison Anderman , Managing Attorney, Giffords Law Center
- Laura Cutilletta , Legal Director, Giffords Law Center
- Mike McLively , Senior Staff Attorney and Urban Gun Violence Initiative Director
- Ari Freilich , Staff Attorney, Giffords Law Center
- Robin Lloyd, Director of Government Affairs, Giffords
- Lindsay Nichols , Federal Policy Director, Giffords Law Center
- Adam Skaggs , Chief Counsel, Giffords Law Center
- Hannah Shearer , Staff Attorney, Giffords Law Center
- Christine Smith, Staff Attorney, Giffords Law Center
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