Uvalde. Buffalo. Highland Park. 

John, in just recent weeks, assault weapons have been used to murder innocent elementary school children and teachers, Black and Brown grocery shoppers, and American families at July 4 parades.

This devastating loss of life is weighing heavy on my mind right now. I know too painfully well the lethality of assault weapons.

My name is Robert Schentrup and my sister, Carmen Schentrup, was murdered by a gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle. She had been one week away from celebrating her 17th birthday when she was shot and killed in her classroom at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Since Carmen was murdered, AR-15-style rifles continue to be the weapon of choice for America’s deadliest mass shooters. These military-designed firearms function precisely to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. And yet they can be bought from your local sporting goods store.

As Carmen’s brother, I’m here to tell you this: No civilian should be able to access these weapons of war. 

I can’t bring my sister Carmen back. But I can fight like hell to ensure we ban these weapons, once and for all. I’ve been working with Brady and Team ENOUGH for years to do just that — and now is our chance.

Just this week, the U.S. House advanced H.R. 1808 to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Now, we need to ensure this bill goes to a floor vote. But the NRA is buying off our elected officials, so we need to get loud. Please send your members of Congress an urgent message now.

After you make your voice heard to Congress, please read and share our resources to support victims and survivors of gun violence. 

In solidarity,
Robert Schentrup
Team ENOUGH Manager

Gun violence survivor

Carmen’s brother

Remembering Aurora: Help Us Honor With Action

This week marked 10 years since the community of Aurora, CO, was devastated by one of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history. A gunman entered a movie theater and used an AR-15-style rifle to shoot and kill 12 people and injure more than 70 others. 

Today and every day, it’s vitally important to remember the victims’ names, stories, and the lives they lived: Jonathon Blun, Alexander "AJ" Boik, Jessie Childress, Gordon Cowden, Jessica Ghawi, John Larimer, Matt McQuinn, Micayla Medek, Veronica Moser-Sullivan, Alex Sullivan, Alexander Teves, and Rebecca Wingo. 

In the aftermath of the 2012 Aurora shooting, Brady worked tirelessly to uphold life-saving laws and enact new, sensible solutions to prevent yet another massacre.

In 2013, Brady Legal helped uphold Aurora’s ban on high-capacity magazines when the gun lobby challenged it in court. Last year, following the tragic mass shootings in Colorado Springs and Boulder, CO, we helped pass three major state laws to prevent gun violence. And we officially launched a new grassroots chapter, Brady Colorado, to mobilize Coloradans in the fight against gun violence.

We can’t bring back the lives lost that day 10 years ago, but we are proud to have honored them with action. Please help us honor the victims and survivors of the Aurora mass shooting. 

What is the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) and How Can We Repeal It?

As Congress and statehouses take up legislation to address the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), it’s important to understand what this harmful federal law is and how it fosters America’s gun violence epidemic. 

Passed by Congress in 2005, PLCAA has been interpreted to shield the gun industry from civil lawsuits, making it extremely difficult for gun violence victims and survivors to hold negligent gunmakers and gun dealers accountable in court. The gun industry is the only industry in America that enjoys such protections. 

This unjust law has resulted in dire consequences for our public safety. Even when gunmakers and dealers are cited for breaking the law, they are rarely held accountable, they have no incentive to make reforms, and they’re often able to stay in business. In turn, the gun industry fuels gun violence and profits from the bloodshed. But no industry should be above the law. 

Fortunately, the U.S. House is taking action. This week, they advanced the Equal Access to Justice for Gun Violence Victims Act to repeal PLCAA. Our legal team has also been assisting states in chipping away at gun industry protections, recently winning solutions in both Delaware and California. But to effectively repeal PLCAA and ensure the Equal Access to Justice for Gun Violence Victims Act passes the House, we need your voice. 

We’re Running Out of Time: Vote for Brady to Win Money from CREDO Mobile!

This month, Brady has been selected to receive a share of a grant from CREDO Mobile. This money will go directly to our vital work across Congress, the courts, and communities. But we’re running out of time and we need YOUR support. Voting closes in just EIGHT days. Will you vote for us right now? The more public votes we get, the more money we receive. To vote, simply enter your email address and click "vote now." It takes less than one minute to vote.

Episode 194: What Research Says About Bringing A Gun Into Your Home

Many gun owners in America report that they store their guns safely. But a study conducted by John Hopkins and Dr. Cassandra Crifasi, deputy director of the Center for Gun Violence Prevention and Policy, found that less than half of the gun owners in America store all their guns safely. How can we change what responsible gun storage looks like and how can we craft messaging that reaches gun owners and gun-owning communities? To find out, we're joined by Dr. Crifasi to discuss what programs work, what systems don’t, and the importance of credible messengers.

Indiana Mall Shooter Used AR-Style Rifle Targeted by Proposed Assault Weapons Ban, NBC News 

Commentary: Gun Violence Restraining Orders Save Lives, Sonoma Index-Tribune

After the Highland Park Attack, Senate Hearing on 'Protecting Our Communities From Mass Shootings', Chicago Sun-Times

Highland Park shooting: Gun-makers Often Shielded from Liability, Chicago Tribune

Five-Year-Old Boy Shoots Dead His 8yo Brother in 'Tragic Accident' in Arkansas Home, Newshub

The Impact of Gun Violence on Black America, Black Girl Nerds

Ghost Guns Proliferate in Philly, But New Federal Rule Could Reduce Their Use in Crimes, Prosecutors Say, Philly Voice 

“Less than a minute is all it took for a person with an assault weapon to shoot 83 rounds into a crowd, forever changing so many lives. And the most disturbing part? This is the norm in our country."

Those were the words of Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering at this week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the aftermath of the Highland Park massacre. In less than ten minutes that day, the gunman, armed with an assault-style rifle and high-capacity magazines, shot and killed seven people and wounded a dozen more at a July 4 parade. He unloaded at least two 30-round clips of ammunition and attendees described the gunfire as "rapid succession."

In 2013, Highland Park passed a local law to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And when gun-rights advocates challenged the law in court, Brady Legal assisted Highland Park in upholding it. This was a major victory for public safety.

But during her testimony, Mayor Rotering made clear that gaps in our nation’s gun laws remain. Highland Park’s law is circumvented by neighboring Illinois towns. It’s why she called on Congress to pass a federal ban on assault weapons — and we at Brady couldn’t agree more. 

We know a federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines will save lives. It was our namesakes, Jim and Sarah Brady, who crafted and helped pass the Assault Weapons Ban in 1994. However, due to intense NRA lobbying, the law expired ten years later, and mass shootings with assault weapons skyrocketed in the years that followed. 

We thank Highland Park Mayor Rotering for taking a stand against assault weapons to protect her community. Please join us in recognizing Mayor Rotering — this week’s Gun Violence Prevention Hero — for her courageous efforts to pass a federal ban on these weapons of war.

This week, RAND Senior Political Scientist Dr. Kyleanne Hunter, Brady’s former vice president of programs, testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. As a combat veteran, Dr. Hunter knows the lethality of these weapons of war. “This weapon was chosen by the United States Army in Vietnam because it was designed to shoot through a standard issue military helmet at 500 yards.”

We at Brady stand with Dr. Hunter and demand the U.S. House swiftly pass H.R. 1808, life-saving legislation to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Please join us in making your voice heard.

Thank you for supporting Brady and our work to prevent gun violence and save lives. We rely heavily on the generosity of activists like you to fund our work to create a safer America. If you're in this fight, please join Brady today by making a gift.

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