Texas Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, Everytown Respond To Shooting On Texas A&M-Commerce Campus

COMMERCE, Texas – The Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement in response to reports of a shooting on the Texas A&M-Commerce campus today. 

“We send our children to college so they can learn and grow – not so they have to live in fear of getting shot,” said Hilary Whitfield, a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Our lawmakers need to take action to keep all Texans safe from gun violence – especially our kids.”

“Yet again, young people like me are paying the ultimate price for our lawmakers’ inaction – and we’ve had enough of it,” said Lalita Kunamneni, a volunteer with Students Demand Action at Texas A&M University. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the entire Texas A&M community – all shattered by another act of senseless gun violence.”

Texas lawmakers rolled back public safety laws during the 2019 legislative session. Despite numerous high-profile shootings, state lawmakers in recent years have failed to pass or even consider legislation requiring background checks on all gun sales or red flag legislation. 

Gun violence is the second-leading cause of death for children and teens in Texas. Every year in Texas on average, more than 3,000 people are killed with guns, and thousands more are wounded. All told, fifty-eight percent of American adults or someone they care for have personally experienced gun violence in their lifetimes.