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Tucson survivors urge tougher gun laws after Colorado shooting
A group of survivors and family members of the Tucson, Ariz. shooting that targeted former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) issued a statement Sunday urging legislators to "fix our nation's broken gun laws" after another mass shooting Friday in Colorado claimed the lives of a dozen moviegoers.
"We need our elected officials to take action to fix our nation’s broken gun laws to keep guns out of the wrong hands," the family members and survivors said in a statement. "That’s why our group of survivors of the Tucson shooting are working hard to encourage our elected officials to take action. Some of us are gun owners and hunters ourselves, and we know that this can be done while still protecting the rights of lawful gun owners."
"Their actions would save lives, maybe the life of someone they love," the statement said. "We have a simple question for our nation’s leaders: How much more pain, how much more sorrow, and how many more murders with guns must we suffer before we do something about it?”
The release also extended condolences to the families affected by the Aurora shooting.
“Our hearts go out to the victims and survivors of the tragic mass shooting in Aurora," the statement reads. "Please know that all of the people of Aurora are in our minds and hearts."
Lawmakers, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) — the congressman who represents Aurora — urged the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban during talk show appearances Sunday morning.
But Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), appearing alongside Feinstein, said such legislation would do little to curtail mass killings and instead would "reduce America's freedom."
"I don't think society can keep sick demented individuals from obtaining any type of weapon to kill people," Johnson said. "This isn't an issue about guns, this is really just an issue about sick, demented individuals."
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