JONESBORO, AR. — The Arkansas chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statements in response to the shooting at a private party in Jonesboro, Arkansas on Sunday. Reports show that two people were killed and four others were wounded in a shooting in Jonesboro, Arkansas. It appears the suspect knew the male and female victims who were killed, as well as another female victim who was wounded, police said in a Facebook post. Little Rock police spokesperson Sally Smith identified the two female victims as sisters, describing the incident as a domestic shooting.
“Tragedies like this happen when our lawmakers eliminate every foundational gun law in our state. It’s no surprise that Arkansas sees some of the highest gun violence rates in the country: our state also has the weakest gun laws in the nation. said Anna Morshedi, a volunteer with the Arkansas chapter of Moms Demand Action. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of those senselessly killed and we call on our elected officials to finally take action to address the root causes of gun violence and address this epidemic head-on. Our safety is at stake here and we won’t back down.”
Arkansas has the 8th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. In an average year, 631 people die by guns. Little Rock had the 6th highest rate of gun homicide in 2022 (35.7 per 100,000) and the 11th-highest rate of guns stolen from cars in 2020 (138.4 per 100,000). Additionally, Everytown’s analysis found that Arkansas ranks 50th in the nation. Its gun laws are the weakest of any state in the union.
If you are interested in speaking with an Arkansas Moms Demand Action or Students Demand volunteer, or a policy expert please reach out to [email protected].