Skip to Main Content

Gabrielle Giffords Urges National Response to Wave of Gun Violence in the Past 72 Hours

November 18, 2019 — Over the past 72 hours a number of developments underscored the public safety threat gun violence poses to the nation. In San Diego, California, less than 24 hours after a woman got a restraining order against her estranged husband, he shot her and their four children before turning the gun on himself. Late Sunday night in Fresno, California, a shooting at a backyard party left four dead and six wounded. This Monday morning, a gunman opened fire outside a Walmart in Duncan, Oklahoma, where at least three people were shot and killed.

The incidents follow new reports that the gunman in the Saugus High School shooting may have used a ghost gun —a do-it-yourself, untraceable firearm sold online with no background check.

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords issued the following statement:

“The failure to protect our communities, families, and children is a waking nightmare that needs to end. If we don’t act, generations of Americans will expect gun violence to be a public safety threat that could change their lives no matter where they live.

“We should refuse to live in a world where our children live in constant fear of gunfire. We should never accept this level of gun violence as normal. It’s not. We don’t have to live with this dominating our lives. America has solved seemingly insurmountable problems before. We can do it again.

“Change starts with acknowledging that politicians in Washington have failed to protect us. Politicians like President Trump and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have taken millions from the NRA while not even allowing a vote on gun safety legislation like the Bipartisan Background Checks Act. Americans are ready to vote in leaders next November who are already committed to making this a priority from day one. If Congress won’t change, we’ll change Congress.”

Related Resources

Domestic Violence

Ghost Guns