Five years later, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords remembers El Paso
WASHINGTON — Ahead of August 3, GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, honors the victims and survivors of the hate-motivated mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, in 2019. Twenty-three lives were lost in the shooting and 22 people were injured in the targeted attack against the Latino community. Gun violence disproportionately impacts Latino and Hispanic communities: in recent years, gun deaths among Hispanic people have increased at nearly twice the rate of gun deaths nationally.
“Today, I am remembering the 23 people who lost their lives in El Paso. This tragedy happened because someone who was fueled by hate was able to easily access a gun. Americans deserve better. The Latino community deserves better. People should be able to walk into a Walmart without the fear of being shot. We won’t stop fighting for a future free of gun violence and will always honor those killed and the survivors with action,” said former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.
“Texans are sadly no strangers to hate crimes and gun violence. Yet, our elected leaders have failed to take action to honor the lives lost five years ago in El Paso. GIFFORDS Texas is committed to creating the change needed to save lives and prevent future tragedies,” said GIFFORDS Texas State Director Roger Garza.
GIFFORDS recently released an updated version of its report, Gun Violence in Hispanic & Latino Communities. The report found:
- On average, more than 13 Hispanic people die from gun violence every day.
- Gun violence in the Hispanic community has been on the rise, nearly doubling since 2014.
- Latino voters list gun violence among their most important voting issues.
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Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.
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