The D.C. chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Students Demand Action, both a part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement urging Mayor Bowser to sign the Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Act, following its passage in the city council today. The legislation includes measures to prohibit the sale and possession of ghost guns and strengthen D.C.’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law. Earlier this year, Mayor Bowser signed emergency legislation restricting the sale of ghost guns in the district.
“We’re just one step away from getting meaningful gun safety measures on the books, and these measures can’t come soon enough,” said Rachel Usdan, a volunteer with the Washington, D.C. chapter of Moms Demand Action. “The Omnibus Public Safety and Justice Act will help address the gun violence we’ve seen in the District for years. We urge Mayor Bowser to enact these policies as soon as possible because lives are on the line.”
The number of homicides in D.C. this year is the higher than any other year since 2008. Earlier this month, a 1-year-old boy was shot and killed in a car, underscoring gun violence’s devastating toll on children in the District. The vast majority of homicides in the District involve a gun. More information on gun violence in Washington, D.C. is available here.