Reed, Raimondo Call for Action to Prevent Gun Violence

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Governor Gina M. Raimondo joined law enforcement officials, including Colonel Steven G. O'Donnell, commander of the Rhode Island State Police, and advocates from the Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, as well as representatives from the office of Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin, to discuss the latest efforts to effectively address gun violence and enhance school safety.

Since the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14, 2012, there have been 142 school shootings at K-12 schools and colleges nationwide, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, and Rhode Island is just one of 11 states nationwide where a school shooting has not occurred since that time. While Rhode Island has been spared such a large scale tragedy, there continues to be too many incidences of gun violence in the state.

During the event, the speakers noted that school administrators and law enforcement officials throughout Rhode Island are taking steps at the state and local level to implement comprehensive strategies to reduce gun violence, prepare for emergencies, and keep our children safe, but Congress must do its part too.

"Instead of just drilling for school lockdowns or trying to act like such events just "happen,' as some have tried to do, Congress should take bipartisan, protective action to help prevent gun violence. We as a society must not turn away from the mass-shootings we continue to see time and again in places like Colorado, Oregon, South Carolina, Sandy Hook, and at Virginia Tech. And we can't turn our backs on the gun violence that plagues our communities right here in Rhode Island. The levels of gun violence we are seeing today is unacceptable. But despite what the gun lobby may say, it is not somehow beyond societal or political intervention. There are steps we can take. At the federal level, I am working with my colleagues to pass new federal gun safety laws aimed at making current background checks stronger, closing loopholes to prevent unsuitable persons from acquiring firearms, and shutting down the pipeline of illegal guns," said Senator Reed, who outlined several initiatives he is working on as a start to help prevent dangerous people from possessing firearms, including legislation that would close loopholes that allow people to purchase guns without having first passed a background check and efforts to strengthen background checks themselves.

"Gun violence is hurting our children and our communities, and we must commit ourselves to building safer neighborhoods and schools," said Governor Raimondo. "Thanks to Senator Reed, Rhode Island is a leader in taking a stand to reduce gun violence. And while there is still much more work to do, he is committed to continuing to champion ways to reach across the aisle and build coalitions to make our communities safer."

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