WASHINGTON — Less than a week after a hate-filled mass shooter killed eight people in Atlanta — six of them women of Asian descent — America turns once again to another mass shooting, this time in Boulder, Colorado — a state that is no stranger to horrific mass gun violence. Preliminary reports indicate that 10 people were killed, including Police Officer Eric Talley, by a gunman reportedly armed with an AR-15 and tactical body armor who opened fire at a King Soopers grocery store.

“The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence expresses our deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, survivors, and the entire community of Boulder. We’ve seen this story too many times. We don’t yet know all the details from the shooting, but we know that our culture of permissive gun laws lies at the root of the American epidemic of gun violence.

“Tolerating this level of violence is a policy choice. It is far too easy for someone in America to acquire a gun and do tremendous harm. We make it easy for one person to destroy dozens of lives, rip families apart, and terrorize communities. And let’s be clear, it is not just mass shootings, but also the unacceptable level of community violence and firearm suicides, that contribute to the carnage caused by all too easy access to guns.

“The shooting in Boulder took place 40 miles from Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. In less than a month, we will remember the 22nd anniversary of that horrific massacre when 12 high school students and a teacher were killed. Despite untold mass tragedies since that day two decades ago, along with the daily toll of gun homicides and suicides in our communities, Americans have yet to see a single piece of meaningful federal legislation to address this epidemic, no changes to make these types of shootings less common, and no bills signed into law to keep Americans safe from gun violence.

“While no single gun law will automatically stop this epidemic, we know that we have the power to save lives with comprehensive legislation.

“Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on common sense policy solutions to reduce our epidemic of gun violence. Multiple life-saving bills have already passed the House this session, including HR 8: the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, and we strongly encourage the Senate to take swift action in moving this and other life-saving legislation to President Biden’s desk.

“We simply can’t wait any longer. We need our elected officials to listen to their constituents and find the courage and strength to protect American lives. We cannot afford another 22 years of idleness.”

Horwitz submitted a statement for the Senate Judiciary Committee record, urging the Senate to implement evidence-based policy solutions with public health and equity approaches to end the American epidemic of gun violence.

Founded in 1974, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence is the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization. We believe gun violence should be rare and abnormal. CSGV develops and advocates for evidence-based solutions to reduce gun injury and death in all its forms.

Boulder Grocery Shooting is Stark Reminder that Epidemic of Gun Violence Must be Treated as Urgent Public Health Crisis

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence expresses deepest sympathy to survivors and families, calls for immediate federal and state action to end gun violence