John,

Last month, I sat in front of the House Judiciary Committee and once again pleaded for action against our nation’s deadly gun violence epidemic.  

Last week, a gunman killed eight people at his workplace in San Jose, CA and two other gunmen used assault rifles to kill three people in Miami, FL.

Still, the Senate has not acted. The action of our lawmakers cannot bring these eight lives back – can’t bring my daughter back – but it can save so many other children and families from tragedy. 

I am a father of 2 children, Jesse and Jaime. Jesse is 20 now, but Jaime will be 14 forever – she was murdered alongside 13 other children and three of their teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. My son lives with the permanent scars of having heard his sister get shot.  

I live with the sound of that single shot severing my daughters spinal cord. I am a father who hopes his daughter died instantly, otherwise, that means she suffered. I am a father who is fighting to honor his daughter’s murder with action.

My daughter’s killer was armed with an assault weapon and large capacity magazines. These weapons of war are designed to kill as many people as possible as fast as possible, and that’s why they have become the weapon of choice for mass murderers. We can remove these deadly weapons from our streets, but only if Congress takes action.

That’s why I’m personally asking you today: Will you add your name and demand that Congress ban assault weapons NOW?

No other family should face the tragedy that mine has. I have dedicated my life to fighting gun violence in honor of Jaime and the other children who have been stolen from us too soon. I hope that you will join me in this fight, too, John.

Thank you.

Fred Guttenberg

Gun Violence Survivor

Jesse and Jaime's Dad