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John— I vividly remember the aftermath of the mass school shooting in Stockton, California. It was 36 years ago, and the scenes still replay in my head. Fresh out of college at the start of my career in forensics, I came in to investigate the crime scene. I photographed bullet holes that traveled through classroom walls and shot through tetherball poles made of steel. I'll never forget what I saw that day. And the recent mass shooting in Stockton at a child's birthday celebration brought all of the awful images of that day back to me. I just retired from my 37-year career in forensics. Over the years, I witnessed families whose loved ones were shot and killed. Now, I'm fighting for a country free from gun violence with the California Moms Demand Action chapter.
I knew I had to get involved as a volunteer in this fight because I know all too well the lasting damage gun violence does to our communities. This fall, California volunteers like me celebrated passing a law to stop DIY machine guns. We fought hard for it, all year. Before winning this campaign, it's been legal to buy pistols that anyone can easily convert into machine guns. This conversion allows the gun to fire at a rate of 1,200 rounds per minute, making their use in mass shootings even deadlier. By driving hundreds of thousands of messages to lawmakers and swarming the Capitol, we spoke up to help save lives and prevent more families from facing tragedy. Together, we're stopping DIY machine guns and are keeping our communities safe. From investigating that mass shooting 36 years ago to passing this historic bill just weeks ago, it's been an incredible journey. Thanks for reading my story and being a part of this movement,
P.S. If you’re ready to help fuel our next wave of advocacy, organizing, and culture change, I hope you’ll consider contributing to the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund today. Your support powers this movement–and helps us meet every challenge head on.  |
