Statement from Texas Gun Owners for Safety After the Latest Shooting in Texas
Washington, DC — Seven people are dead and 22 injured after a shooting that spanned multiple locations in Midland and Odessa. The shooting occurred just four weeks after a gunman killed 22 people in a mass shooting in El Paso.
Statements from members of Texas Gun Owners for Safety:
“Twelve days ago a group of Texas Gun Owners for Safety gathered with former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in Austin to address our concerns about escalating gun violence,” said Jane Mumey. “We made a commitment to our state and each other to work towards common sense gun regulations that preserve 2nd Amendment rights. Yesterday, we saw another mass shooting unfold. The state of Texas is facing a public health and safety crisis. We will not let this event pass without action from our members. We ask the public to contact their legislators and ask them to immediately support universal background checks and safe storage legislation.”
“Once again our state has been terrorized by gun violence,” said David Dunn. “This isn’t what responsible gun ownership looks like, and we must make changes. Texas can immediately take steps to make us all safer and that should happen tomorrow.”
Texas Gun Owners for Safety was launched at a recent roundtable in Austin, Texas when a coalition of Texas hunters, sport shooters, and collectors came together to declare they will advocate for commonsense gun violence prevention laws and promote safe and responsible gun ownership. Members of the new group also shared their personal stories about getting involved and why they believe in both the Second Amendment and stronger gun laws.
During the inaugural meeting, the Texas Gun Owners for Safety discussed their mission, priorities, and the policies they will support and call on lawmakers to pass at the state and federal level. Giffords has helped launch similar groups this year in Minnesota and Colorado to help amplify the voices of the many gun owners who support commonsense laws such as background checks for every gun sale.
Giffords Law Center recently unveiled a new report highlighting the devastation wrought by gun violence in the state. Gun Laws and Violence in Texas details why Texas has become a place where someone is killed by a gun every three hours and provides a detailed blueprint on what laws the state could pass to save lives. Without action, this crisis is only expected to get worse. As the report notes, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the state’s gun murder death rate has increased every year since 2014.
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