TRABUCO CANYON, Calif. — The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety grassroots networks, released the following statement on reports of a shooting at a biker bar Wednesday night where a gunman shot and killed three people and wounded six others. According to reports, the man was retired from the Ventura Police Department and was targeting his estranged wife.
“Our hearts break for the community and the loved ones affected by this horrific and senseless tragedy,” said Sun Chambers, a volunteer with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Once again we are reminded that a domestic dispute can turn deadly when armed with a gun. We deserve a world where we can thrive peacefully without the fear of being gunned down. We’ll continue pushing for measures that keep guns out of domestic abusers and seek to protect our families from the threat of gun violence.”
In 2016, California passed an Extreme Risk law giving key community members a way to intervene before warning signs become tragedies. These laws allow immediate family members, law enforcement, and other specific groups to petition a court for a Gun Violence Restraining Order for the temporary removal of guns from dangerous situations. In neighboring Los Angeles County, the County Board of Supervisors recently passed an ordinance to raise awareness of this policy given the underutilization of the life-saving tool. California also has Domestic Violence Restraining Orders available when there is evidence of abuse of a spouse or family member.
While details continue to emerge about this tragedy, it’s impossible to deny the deadly intersection of guns and domestic violence. Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner. About two-thirds of women killed by an intimate partner are killed with a gun. More information on gun-related domestic violence is available here and information about the intersection of intimate partner violence and gun violence is available here.
In an average year, 3,253 people die and 7,293 are wounded by guns in California. Gun violence costs California $41.9 billion each year, 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.
