LOS ANGELES — The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statement after 27-year-old Niani Finlayson was shot and killed in front of her 9-year-old child after she called authorities over a domestic violence dispute with her estranged partner. According to reports, the fatal encounter started after Finlayson called 9-1-1 for help because her former partner was strangling her and trying to hurt her daughter. When deputies showed up, they opened fire from outside, shooting her four times through a sliding glass door.
“Our hearts break for the young daughter and the loved ones of the victim,” said Lisa Henry, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This tragedy is simply incomprehensible. Our communities deserve law enforcement committed to serving and safeguarding residents, not engaging in reckless actions that result in harm and loss of life. The only path towards justice is a comprehensive and transparent investigation to ensure an incident like this does not happen ever again.”
In an average year, 3,253 people die and 7,293 are wounded by guns in California. California ranks 45th in both gun death rates and societal cost of gun violence at $1,060 per person each year. Gun deaths and injuries cost California $41.9 billion, of which $1.1 billion is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in California is available here.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. If you’re unable to speak safely via phone, you can chat online at thehotline.org.
