Despite Ongoing Gun Violence in Durham, North Carolina Republicans Continue to Reject Common-Sense Gun Safety Laws

On Monday night, eight people were shot and wounded in Durham, part of a surge in gun violence that the city is experiencing. According to the News & Observer, “as of Aug. 22, there had been 158 shooting incidents in Durham this year, with a total of 189 people shot.”

Despite this persistence of gun violence, North Carolina Republicans at every level have rejected common-sense gun safety measures, advocating instead for extreme gun laws that would make North Carolinians less safe. 

• Senator Thom Tillis, who has received more than $4.4 million in support from the gun lobby over the course of his career, has refused to support background checks on all gun sales – which 91% of North Carolina voters support.
• Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who bragged about his ‘A’ rating from the NRA, has promised to support laws that would let people carry concealed, loaded handguns in public without a background check or safety training.
• Republicans in the North Carolina General Assembly attempted to weaken the state’s concealed carry permitting system, despite calls from advocates and survivors to pass gun safety laws.

Volunteers with the North Carolina chapter of Moms Demand Action are available to discuss the work they’re doing to elect gun sense champions who will take action to address North Carolina’s gun violence epidemic. More information on gun violence in North Carolina is available here.