John,

Yesterday, hate was once again made deadly with an assault weapon. 

A gunman entered a Dollar General in Jacksonville, FL, with a handgun and an AR-15-style rifle with swastikas drawn onto it, intent on killing Black people. His rampage left three people dead and an entire community reeling from the trauma of this racist attack.

Tragically, this isn’t new for our nation, John. Far too many communities have suffered because white supremacists have been able to get their hateful hands on weapons of war:

When a gunman with an AR-15-style rifle killed 10 Black people at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY, last year. When a gunman targeted the Asian-American community in Atlanta, GA, in 2021; When a gunman targeted the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, in 2018; When a gunman opened fire in a Black church in Charleston, SC, in 2015. 

The inaction of our lawmakers has endorsed continuous mass murder, John. It's made worse by the fact that they know the answers that can save lives – like banning weapons of war from our streets. If continued tragedies won’t force Congress to do their duty to protect us, then let it be our collective outrage. 

In the wake of yet another hate-fueled attack with an assault weapon, It is more urgent than ever for our lawmakers to ban assault weapons and protect our country from more death and destruction. Will you join us in demanding change today? Add your name to our urgent petition right now and tell Congress we’ve had enough spineless inaction.

Victims and survivors in Jacksonville – and all other cities affected by gun violence – deserve more than thoughts and prayers. It is unconscionable for our lawmakers to remain idle when people are dying from gun violence every single day.

Thank you for taking action in the face of tragedy, John.

Kris Brown

Brady President

Thank you for joining us in honoring the victims who were senselessly killed in Jacksonville, FL: Angela Michelle Carr, 52; Jerrald Gallion, 29; and Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr., 19.