The Pennsylvania chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, today released the following statement applaudingthe filing of a lawsuit by the city of Philadelphia and several individuals, with the assistance of attorneys working with the Pennsylvania Safety Alliance, that seeks to make it easier for Pennsylvania localities to enact their own gun safety measures.
“Across Pennsylvania, so many of us have asked our local leaders to do what they can to address this public health crisis,” said Marybeth Christiansen, a volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This lawsuit could make it easier for them to do just that. Local leaders should be able to take action to make our communities safer.”
In an average year, more than 1,500 people die by guns in Pennsylvania. Gun suicide accounts for more than half of all gun deaths, a rate which has increased by 20% between 2009 and 2018. Read more about gun violence in Pennsylvania here.