Moms Demand Action, Activists Call For Federal, State Response On Gun Violence

Moms Demand Action and other gun control activists from across Indiana gathered at the Statehouse Saturday to demand state and federal policymakers pass legislation to reduce gun violence.

A bipartisan group of local and state officials joined the crowd to talk about what they and activists can do to reduce gun crime in Indiana – including passing federal red flag legislation and limiting access to firearms.

During his remarks, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett signed the Mayors Against Illegal Guns statement of principles from the gun control advocacy group Everytown. 

“So to our neighbors in El Paso and Dayton, and all other communities affected across America. To the friends and families of every victim, to the survivors, to the first responders, Indianapolis, Indiana, now stands with you,” Hogsett says.

The statement adds Indianapolis to a coalition of more than 1,000 cities and towns across the U.S. actively working to address gun safety across political parties. 

Republican West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis is a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. He says his experience in law enforcement and living in Ireland, where guns are banned, reinforced his perspective.

“Instead of like we do in America, where ‘I think you can hurt me, so I’m going to up the ante and make sure that I can hurt you worse.’ It’s a spiral that we’ll never get out of unless we take aggressive and immediate action.”

Other speakers at the rally included state Sen. J.D. Ford (D-Indianapolis) and Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry.

Contact Lauren at lchapman@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter @laurenechapman_.