Two More Horrific Shootings, In Two States With Weak Gun Laws

Feb 13, 2007

Washington, D.C. - Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, released the following statement on the shootings Monday night in Philadelphia and Salt Lake City:

“Once again today, we are all struggling with reports about terrible losses of lives to gun violence.  What a disturbed teenager in Utah and a tormented businessman in Pennsylvania have in common is that they had access to guns.  Horrific mass killings cannot be committed with knives or baseball bats or bare fists.  Weak gun laws have led to a glut of weapons on the streets.  And as a result, bitter human frustrations lead to gun violence.  Anger leads to killings.  When will our Nation wake up and confront the tragic reality that we make it far too easy for dangerous people to have access to guns?

“We join with our Brady members and Million Mom March Chapters in Utah and Pennsylvania and across America in offering our heartfelt condolences to the families of those that have been lost.  We urge lawmakers who have enabled angry men to access assault rifles and teenagers to get other long guns to stand up to the gun pushers and do something to curb the flow of weapons through our communities.  We may never know what, if anything, could have prevented these terrible shootings, but we can and must bring sanity to our Nation’s gun policies to ensure that other families do not suffer from such tragedies.”

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As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign, with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, works to enact and enforce sensible gun laws, regulations and public policies. The Brady Campaign is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.

For continuing insight and comment on the gun issue, read Paul Helmke's blog at www.bradycampaign.org/blog/. Visit the Brady Campaign website at www.bradycampaign.org.