Gabby Giffords joins Mayor Romero, Police Chief Prieto for community conversation on public safety 

TUCSON, Ariz. — Following the recent mass shooting in downtown Tucson, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, co-founder of the national gun violence prevention organization GIFFORDS, joined Mayor Regina Romero and other local officials for a discussion on addressing violent crime in Tucson and the need for stronger gun safety laws across Arizona.

“Seeing another mass shooting unfold in Tucson broke my heart. We must rally behind the survivors and as they continue their recoveries, and I’m grateful for the first responders who took swift action to contain the violence,” said former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. “From investing in local community violence interventions to enacting commonsense gun safety laws, there’s much more our leaders can do to prevent other families from enduring this kind of tragedy. In 2027, the Arizona legislature must invest in community violence interventions and  pass gun safety laws like safe storage and expanded background checks to keep guns out of dangerous hands. These policies have broad bipartisan support and will save lives, but to pass them we need leaders who will put public safety over politics.”

WATCH: Gabby Giffords offers a rallying message to the Tucson community in the wake of the recent mass shooting.

“As Mayor, I refuse to accept gun violence as inevitable.  For years, I have been building a comprehensive approach to public safety by investing in evidence-based violence prevention, expanding community partnerships, and supporting our first responders,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “While no single strategy can prevent every tragedy, we know these investments save lives.I will continue working alongside residents, community organizations, law enforcement, and leaders like Congresswoman Giffords to advocate for commonsense gun safety policies that help protect Tucson families.”

Read more about the Mayor’s Safe City Initiative here.

“I am so proud of the Tucson Police Officers who courageously ran towards the sound of gunfire within seconds of the shots ringing out, stopping the suspect and immediately providing first aid to the 9 victims and suspect,” said Tucson Police Chief, Monica Prieto. “While violent crime is down in Tucson there is still much work to be done. This violent act serves as a harsh reminder that we must continue to innovate in our efforts to address violence in all forms.  This includes strengthening our partnerships and collaboration with federal, state, county, and city prosecutors, the courts, and key advocacy groups like GIFFORDs for prevention, intervention, and accountability.”

“We have been consistently working not only on the issue of gun violence prevention for adults but for teens as well. This type of violence continues to plague our community, and we need to reverse course,” said Pima County Attorney, Laura Conover. “The key is to focus on preventing young people from becoming adult offenders. We need a system that can intervene and disrupt that process early on. Our Juvenile Division is in constant communication with teens and families to root out the issues that led them to the court system by providing counseling and support.”

“Our Office of Violence Prevention and Intervention is working diligently with residents and community partners to prevent violence through youth engagement, neighborhood leadership, street outreach, and case management. Preventing gun violence remains one of our highest priorities,”said Oscar Medina, Manager of Tucson’s Office of Violence Prevention and Intervention. “From prevention programs that encourage young people to stop and think before they act, to partnerships that are strengthening Tucson’s violence intervention ecosystem, we know that evidence-based practices and Community Violence Intervention save lives, interrupt cycles of violence, and help keep our community safe.”