Local Leaders Speak Out on National Gun Violence Awareness Day

By Adrian Meza

Excerpted from the Fullerton Observer

"In honor of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, State Senator Josh Newman and Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva hosted a press conference against gun violence on the steps of Fullerton City Hall on June 3.

State Assembly member Sharon Quirk-Silva speaks on the steps of City Hall on National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Photo by Adrian Meza

Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung was the first to speak, addressing the “uniquely American” phenomenon of regular mass shootings.

“There have been 231 mass shootings this year and we’re barely into June,” Jung said. [As of writing this article it is now up to 246, according to Gun Violence Archive] “If we are the strongest of nations…we should be able to find compromise and more importantly true compassion for those who suffer the pain of this kind of loss.”

State Senator Josh Newman spoke next, listing some of the places where gun violence has occurred in recent years. “Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Charleston, Laguna Woods, Buffalo. These are the place names that we now know too well that burn into our collective psyche…[representing] tragedy about the end result of guns in the wrong hands.”

There have been 27 school shootings this year, and 119 school shootings since 2018."

Read the full article here.