The Indiana chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, the grassroots networks of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement following multiple shootings in Indianapolis. On Saturday, there was a mass shooting that killed four people, including a child, and wounded one, in what police believe was a domestic homicide. The city suffered another shooting early Monday morning at a gathering in Indianapolis, where five people were shot, killing one.
“Our hearts break for the family, friends, and community of those who have been affected by gun violence in our city,” said Cathy Weinmann, a volunteer with the Indiana chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Gun violence is a public health crisis in Indianapolis, and our leaders must treat it as such. Our lawmakers cannot keep weakening our gun laws and hoping that this senseless violence will stop. Common-sense gun laws save lives, that is a fact. To create safer communities we must act on common-sense gun safety measures, support local violence intervention groups, and reject extreme efforts to further weaken our gun laws — there is too much at stake.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the impact of our country’s gun violence crisis, and surging gun sales have exacerbated loopholes that enable guns to fall into the wrong hands. Gun sales in Indiana increased 71% between March and November 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. And areas across Indiana, including Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and St. Joseph County saw elevated numbers of homicides in 2020 — many of which have been gun homicides.
