TEXAS — The Texas 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 multiple shootings across Austin and San Antonio, where five separate shootings occurred at locations including a high school, residential neighborhoods, and a private residence. Though reports are still emerging, the suspect of the Austin shootings, who has not been named, was also linked to the deaths of two people in San Antonio. The series of violent incidents across the two cities began in the morning and extended into the evening.
“Yesterday’s atrocities once again have shown Texas lawmakers’ refusal to take action to pass common-sense gun violence prevention legislation is fatal,” said Claudia Yañez a volunteer with the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action. “We can barely process one community loss before another tragedy strikes. We should not have to fear for our lives while at home, going to school, or going about our daily lives – we cannot accept this as our reality, and it doesn’t have to be this way.”
“Gun violence is taking the lives of Texans left and right. People’s futures and dreams are being stolen from them all because dangerous people can access deadly weapons,” said Neva Smith, a high schooler in San Antonio ISD and volunteer with Texas Students Demand Action. “Texas politicians wanted more guns in more places? Well, this is what that looks like. We deserve leaders who are willing to fight for our safety, not cower to the gun lobby’s agenda. Texans deserve better than this.”
This past legislative session, Texas lawmakers ignored pleas from constituents to protect their community and instead passed a bill to arm more teachers, only further bolstering their deadly “guns everywhere agenda’.”
Texas has the 26th highest rate of gun deaths in the United States and some of the weakest gun laws in the country. Instead of further weakening the state’s gun laws, lawmakers should pass policies that will protect communities such as raising the age to purchase firearms and enacting an Extreme Risk law to empower loved ones or law enforcement to intervene to temporarily prevent someone in crisis from accessing firearms.
In an average year, 3,996 people die by guns in Texas, and 5,556 more are wounded. Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Texas. More information on gun violence in Texas is available here.
If you are interested in speaking with a Texas Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action volunteer, or a policy expert, please reach out to [email protected].
