John–
This weekend should have been filled with block parties, barbeques, and joyful gatherings of all kinds. But once again, the Fourth of July was marked by devastation and heartbreak. Even as we honored the victims and survivors of one mass shooting, more deadly tragedies unfolded in communities across the country.
Until we take action, these killings will continue. For every family member who has had their life shattered by gun violence, we can and must do more.
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Yesterday, we honored the victims and survivors of the mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois on the one-year mark of the tragedy. Seven people were shot and killed, and 48 others were shot and wounded.
And as we saw this weekend, tragic shootings continue to happen over and over again.
In Baltimore, at least two people were shot and killed and 28 others were shot and wounded at a block party.
In Wichita, Kansas, a shooting at a nightclub left nine people shot and wounded and two others injured from being trampled as people fled.
In Shreveport, Louisiana, at least three people were shot and killed and seven others wounded at a Fourth of July block party.
In Washington, D.C., at least nine people were shot and wounded, including a 9-year-old and a 17-year-old, as they were celebrating the Fourth of July.
In Philadelphia, five people were shot and killed and two children—ages two and 13—were shot and wounded in a mass shooting.
And in Chicago, at least three people were shot and killed and 27 others were shot and wounded in acts of gun violence throughout the weekend.
The communities and people impacted by this weekend's tragedies will never be the same.
But this reality is not inevitable—we are not helpless in the fight against gun violence. Our lawmakers can and must pass gun safety laws that are proven to save lives. After the deadly shooting in Highland Park, Governor Pritzker set an example of how to respond to these tragedies: He signed a law that banned the sale and distribution of assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and machine gun conversion devices in Illinois. And we've seen similar life-saving action on gun safety in states across the country this year, from Minnesota to Maryland, among many others.
Our lawmakers on the local, state, and federal levels can and must continue to fight for common-sense gun safety policies that will save lives.
As we honor the victims and survivors of the shooting in Highland Park, and of every shooting that happened this Fourth of July weekend, join me in demanding action. Read my new op-ed with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker in Teen Vogue about what we must do to help end this crisis.
Thank you for being a part of this movement.
Angela Ferrell-Zabala
She/Her/Hers
Executive Director
Moms Demand Action
