Posts Tagged ‘mass shooting’

If any member of our community bleeds, all of us bleed.
If any member of our community weeps, all of us weep.

- J. Alfred Smith Sr., Pastor Emeritus
Allen Temple Baptist Church

Our sincere condolences go out to everyone impacted by Monday’s horrific mass shooting at Oikos University in Oakland, which left seven people dead and three others injured. This tragedy is the third mass killing in California in less than a year, occurring only six months after the rampages in Cupertino and Seal Beach. It’s also the latest incident of gun violence to stun a nation still reeling from the senseless death of Trayvon Martin and the school shooting in Chardon, Ohio in February.

Today we stand with Oakland, as families, educators, and a city grieve for those lost in the worst mass shooting in the Bay Area since the tragic shooting at a law firm in 1993. That year, the legal community stood with the survivors of the 101 California Street shooting and out of that tragedy, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence emerged.

Since LCPGV’s formation, we’ve worked hard to prevent these tragedies in California and across the country, and we encourage you to stand with us today just as the legal community did in 1993.

Amid the mourning, terrible events like Monday’s shooting provoke in all of us a sense of outrage at the epidemic of gun violence that plagues America. Every day, 85 people die from gun violence, in homicides, suicides, and unintentional shootings nationwide.

We need your help to bring an end to this epidemic. READ MORE »

To recognize one of the most longstanding and supportive figures in LCPGV’s history, we are proud to announce that LCPGV recently established a special fund in honor of Walter Pettit.

The Piedmont Post has published an inspiring piece on Walter, the history of LCPGV, and the new Fund in his honor.

If you’re interested in making a meaningful gift to LCPGV in honor of Walter, you can simply designate it to the “Walter Pettit LCPGV Fund.” You can make a donation by check (with a notation that it should be directed to the Walter Pettit LCPGV Fund) or give online here (there is an option to dedicate your gift there as well).

On January 8, 2012, LCPGV joined Americans nationwide to remember victims and survivors of gun violence on the one-year anniversary of the shooting in Tucson, Arizona.  At a candlelight vigil in Yerba Buena Gardens, survivors, legislators, and activists from across the Bay Area gathered to reflect on the terrible toll of gun violence and the need for renewed efforts to keep our communities safe.

LCPGV Legal Director Juliet Leftwich spoke to the need for action in an op-ed in the Contra Costa Times, urging Congress to enact sensible gun laws to prevent future tragedies:

Remember Republicans and Democrats alike sitting together to express their unified support for their fallen colleague? Sadly, rather than using that moment to actually do something tangible to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future, our leaders let the opportunity pass and simply returned to business as usual.

It’s not too late. If members of Congress truly want to honor the victims and survivors of the Tucson shooting, they should stop pandering to the gun lobby and start protecting public safety.

LCPGV thanks everyone who attended Sunday’s vigil.  You can watch a KTVU news report on the event below and see more photos from the vigil here.

The San Francisco vigil, organized by LCPGV, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence Bay Area Chapters, 1000 Mothers to Prevent Violence, and Youth ALIVE!, was one of numerous vigils held on January 8 to remember victims of gun violence nationwide.  Reports from events across the country are being collected at TooManyVictims.org.

Gun violence prevention groups have also released a number of important materials recently.  Mayors Against Illegal Guns released a video of survivors from the Tucson shooting sharing their stories.  The Violence Policy Center also published a new report entitled More Guns, More Shootings, which found that, in 2008, 110,215 people were shot in the United States, a nine-year high.

The tragic shooting at a youth camp and bombing of a government building in Norway on July 22 left 77 people dead and many others wounded. There are no words to describe these shocking events, which devastated Norway and the world. Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence expresses our deep condolences to all those affected and our outrage at recent revelations that weak U.S. gun laws aided Anders Behring Breivik in preparing for these horrible acts. In his manifesto, the killer revealed that he had easily purchased ten 30-round ammunition magazines from a supplier in the United States. In the text, Breivik also expressed “envy” regarding the United States’ weak gun laws, compared with much stricter laws in Europe.

LCPGV’s analysis of large capacity ammunition magazines demonstrates that these magazines are the common thread uniting major mass shootings, including the Tucson massacre earlier this year, and shootings at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and 101 California Street in San Francisco. LCPGV is steadfastly committed to supporting federal and state legislation prohibiting large capacity magazines, including H.R. 308 (McCarthy), which would ban these magazines nationwide. LCPGV was pleased to testify in support of SJR 7, a resolution urging Congress to enact H.R. 308, which was recently adopted by the California Legislature. We also strongly encourage you to sign our petition in support of H.R. 308.

As the Norway shootings sadly remind us, action remains desperately needed to strengthen U.S. gun laws and stop our gun violence epidemic.

We are alarmed to report that legislation has recently been enacted in Mississippi, and is currently pending in 14 more states, which would change current law to allow concealed weapons on college campuses. In addition, one state – Utah – already requires colleges to allow firearms on campus.

The gun violence prevention community opposes state government’s efforts to allow carrying of firearms by students, faculty or staff. We must urge our elected officials to vote against any bill permitting guns on campus. LCPGV supports preserving college campuses for education and believes firearms create an unacceptable risk in the college environment.

Saturday, April 16th is the fourth anniversary of the Virginia Tech shootings. Today, to honor the victims of that tragedy, we are joining with thousands of others in a national call-in day, organized by The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, asking governors across the country to oppose this dangerous legislation. While California has no proposed laws of this type, we still urge you to call Governor Brown to let him know where you stand on the issue, and ask him to oppose any future attempts to bring guns on campus. If you live in a state where this legislation is being advanced, or if you have children or friends attending a school in these states, please call your governor now to ensure that your voice is heard.

Call Your Governor Now!

On Sunday, March 13, two months after the Tucson massacre, President Obama announced a proposal to improve the federal background check system in an Arizona Daily Star op-ed. “[O]ur focus right now should be on sound and effective steps that will actually keep those irresponsible, law-breaking few from getting their hands on a gun in the first place,” the president wrote. “Porous background checks are bad for police officers, for law-abiding citizens and for [firearms] sellers themselves.”

LCPGV commends the president for this first step to address America’s gun violence epidemic. President Obama proposed improving background check recordkeeping, but unfortunately federal law does not even require every gun purchaser to pass a background check. As the president noted in his op-ed, “If we’re serious about keeping guns away from someone who’s made up his mind to kill, then we can’t allow a situation where a responsible seller denies him a weapon at one store, but he effortlessly buys the same gun someplace else.” LCPGV urges the president to support S. 436, Senator Schumer’s bill to require universal background checks.

President Obama called on Americans to begin “a new discussion on how we can keep America safe for all our people.” The American public, however, has already voiced broad support for requiring a background check before every firearm sale. A recent bipartisan poll showed that 86% of Americans and 81% of gun owners nationwide support universal background checks. Additional polls in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio and Virginia indicate that at least 83% of respondents — and over 75% of gun owners — in each of those states support this policy.

LCPGV has long advocated for universal background checks and for the improvement of background check recordkeeping. Despite Congress’ unwillingness to confront gun violence in recent years, and its consistent capitulation to the gun lobby, we are encouraged by the prospect that the president’s recent statement will mark a new beginning in federal firearms legislation.

Following the tragic shootings of Representative Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others in Tucson, Arizona, on January 8, 2011, federal legislators have introduced several bills to reduce gun violence. Representative Carolyn McCarthy has authored legislation to prohibit the transfer or possession of large capacity ammunition magazines, like those used by the Tucson shooter. We encourage you to sign our petition urging Congress to pass H.R. 308 the bill to ban large capacity ammunition magazines, and contact your congressperson to voice your support for this common sense legislation.

Other significant federal legislation introduced after the Tucson shooting includes a bill by Senator Barbara Boxer to establish minimum standards for states that allow the carrying of concealed firearms, and a bill introduced by Representative Peter King to prohibit the carrying of a firearm near a senior federal official holding a public event, carrying out official duties, or campaigning for federal elective office.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns Champions Reform of Federal Gun Laws

Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), a diverse national coalition of more than 500 mayors led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, promotes federal legislation to reduce illegal firearms trafficking and repair gaping loopholes in our nation’s background check system. MAIG’s latest campaign, Fix Gun Checks, encourages Congress to adopt federal laws to ensure mental health and drug abuse information is entered into the databases used to check a prospective firearm transferee’s background, and to close the private sale loophole by requiring a background check prior to every gun transfer. Mayor Bloomberg led a recent undercover investigation of the Crossroads of the West Gun Show in Phoenix, Arizona, which showed unlicensed sellers willingly selling guns to people who say they probably “couldn’t pass” a background check. LCPGV is pleased to support MAIG’s efforts for critical gun violence prevention legislation nationwide.

In response to the devastating mass shooting in Tucson earlier this month, which left six dead and thirteen wounded, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy has introduced H.R. 308, which would ban large capacity ammunition magazines. Large capacity ammunition magazines are frequently used in mass shootings, including the tragedy in Tucson and those at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and 101 California Street in San Francisco, because they enable a shooter to kill large numbers of people in a matter of seconds.

LCPGV needs your help to tell Washington how vital this legislation is to the prevention of future mass shootings. Here’s what you can do:

Sign our petition urging Congress to pass H.R. 308, Congresswoman McCarthy’s bill to ban large capacity ammunition magazines. Forward this e-mail to your friends and urge them to sign the petition as well!

Contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 224-3121 and encourage him or her to cosponsor H.R. 308. If you’re not sure who your Representative is, you can find that information at Govtrack.us.

Call President Obama at (202) 456-1111 and urge him to announce his support for H.R. 308.

Large capacity ammunition magazines have no place in civilian hands. As discussed in our updated policy summary, large capacity magazines were banned under a now-expired federal law, and are now only prohibited in California and five other states. Act now to stop the sale of these magazines and help prevent future tragedies!

(San Francisco, CA) Following Saturday’s mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona, Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (LCPGV) issued the following statement:

“LCPGV is deeply saddened by the horrific shooting in Arizona. Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and to all of the individuals touched by this tragedy. The Arizona massacre is just one more terrible example of the impact of gun violence in America and the urgent need to act with courage and commitment to achieve sensible gun policies nationwide.

The Arizona shooter used a Glock 19 handgun equipped with a large capacity ammunition magazine. That magazine, capable of holding 33 bullets, enabled the shooter to kill 6 people and injure 14 others in a matter of moments. Large capacity ammunition magazines – those capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition – were banned as part of the 1994 federal assault weapons ban, but were legalized when Congress allowed the law to expire in 2004. Large capacity magazines are now only banned in California and a handful of other states, not including Arizona.

Unfortunately, large capacity ammunition magazines are frequently used in mass shootings, including those which occurred at 101 California St. (the San Francisco assault weapon massacre that led to the formation of LCPGV), Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, and Fort Hood.

LCPGV is very pleased that Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy has announced her intent to introduce a new federal large capacity ammunition ban in the wake of this tragedy. We look forward to supporting her efforts and hope that our federal legislators will show their commitment to preventing future tragedies by doing the same. The gaps in federal law regulating guns are a travesty in this country, and one that we demand our government immediately address.

LCPGV’s recent publication, Gun Laws Matter, ranked Arizona’s gun laws as the worst in the country. Among other things, Arizona law requires no permit to carry loaded weapons in public, requires no background check for private gun sales, and allows guns in bars. In addition, Arizona enacted the so-called “Firearms Freedom Act” – declaring federal gun laws inapplicable to guns manufactured, purchased and possessed in the state.

LCPGV will continue to work to educate the public and to support the gun violence prevention laws that can prevent this type of tragedy in the future. We are reminded of the importance of this work, and thank our members and supporters.”