The Louisiana chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement in response to a shooting Thursday morning in Harvey. According to reports, a mother, a father, and two sons were shot and killed in what appears to be familicide. This is the second report of a familicide in less than 12 hours in Jefferson Parish.
“We are devastated to learn of the horrific events in Jefferson Parish, and our hearts go out to friends and loved ones,” said Angelle Bradford, a volunteer with the Louisiana chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These instances of violence are a tragic reminder there is more to be done to protect women and families in Louisiana and beyond, and it is up to our lawmakers to step up and take action.”
Gun-related intimate partner violence is a devastating and lethal crisis facing women and families in the United States. Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner. In addition, intimate partner mass shootings are not uncommon, though many don’t make headlines.
Last week, a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit struck down a critical, long-standing gun safety law that protects domestic violence victims and keeps guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. By declaring this critical federal law to be unconstitutional, the Fifth Circuit panel would allow people in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders to access a gun. If the decision is not reversed, domestic violence survivors face the prospect that their abusers can get armed immediately.
Louisiana has weak firearm laws, scoring only 20.5 out of 100 for gun law strength while maintaining the second highest rate of gun deaths in the United States. In an average year, 1,036 people are killed by guns in the state and 2,936 more are wounded. Louisiana bears the sixth highest per resident cost of gun violence in the nation at $3,085 per person each year. More information about gun violence in Louisiana is available here.