Everytown, North Carolina Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond to Shooting in Watauga County

The North Carolina chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement after two officers, Sgt. Chris Ward and K-9 Deputy Logan Fox were shot and killed in the line of duty in a home in Watauga County. Two other people were killed in the tragedy – George Wyatt Ligon and Michelle Annette Ligon.

“Our hearts are with the families of those killed, including two law enforcement officers shot and killed in the line of duty, and we’ll continue our fight against the scourge of gun violence across North Carolina and the United States,” said Tony Cope, a volunteer with the North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This shooting is another painful reminder of our urgent fight to defeat dangerous legislation that would only increase the risk of tragedies like this. How many more North Carolinians have to die by gun violence before our lawmakers abandon their efforts to let people with dangerous histories buy guns with no background checks and no questions asked?”

Every day in the U.S. on average, more than 100 people are killed with guns, and more than 230 are wounded —most in shootings that are not mass shootings.

In an average year, 1,388 people die by gun violence in North Carolina and 3,407 more are wounded. More information about gun violence in North Carolina is available here.