Victory for Gun Safety: After Testimony and Advocacy from Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Volunteers, Lawmakers Reject Dangerous Shoot First Legislation

The Hawaii chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement after the House declined to advance HB 2464, dangerous Shoot First legislation that essentially makes murder legal – letting people use deadly force as the first option rather than the last, even when they can clearly and safely walk away. This session, volunteers and supporters have sent over 1,000 emails and made nearly 40 calls opposing Shoot First legislation. 

“For the second year in a row, we have beat back Shoot First in Hawaii,” said Erica Yamauchi, a volunteer with the Hawaii chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Hawaii has some of the lowest rates of gun violence in our country and that’s in large part due to our strong gun safety laws. Passing laws that are proven bring more gun violence doesn’t make logical sense. We are grateful to our lawmakers for seeing this legislation for what it is – disgusting and reckless.”

New research from The Journal of the American Medical Association shows Shoot First laws have resulted in 700 additional gun deaths every year. Shoot First laws are part of the gun lobby’s decades-long narrative that everyone should live in a fear-based society, and that anyone should have the right to carry and use a gun anywhere, anytime, with no questions asked. But taking a life should always be a last resort—not the first. 

Statistics about gun violence in Hawaii are available here, and more information about secure storage devices is available here. Everytown’s interactive gun law platform — which shows the direct correlation between the strength of a state’s gun laws and its rate of gun deaths — is available here. If you have questions or want to request an interview with a volunteer from Hawaii Moms Demand Action and/or Students Demand Action, please don’t hesitate to reach out.