Ohio Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond to Domestic Violence Shooting in Monroe Township

The Ohio chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement in response to a shooting Thursday afternoon in Monroe Township, Ohio. According to reports, three children, ages 3, 4 and 7, were shot and killed by their father and their mother was shot and wounded in what appears to be familicide. 

“We are heartbroken to learn of this horrific incident, and we stand with the victims’ families and loved ones,” said Kristi Woodworth, a volunteer with the Ohio chapter of Moms Demand Action.  “Acts of violence like this remind us of the incredibly dangerous relationship between guns and domestic violence, and we must do more to protect women and families in Ohio and beyond. It is about time our lawmakers stepped up and took action.” 

​​Gun-related intimate partner violence is a devastating and lethal crisis facing women and families in the United States. Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner. In addition, intimate partner mass shootings are not uncommon, though many don’t make headlines.

In February, a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit struck down a critical, long-standing gun safety law that protects domestic violence victims and keeps guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. By declaring this critical federal law to be unconstitutional, the Fifth Circuit panel would allow people in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders to access a gun. If the decision is not reversed by the Supreme Court, domestic violence survivors face the prospect that their abusers can arm themselves – making them five times more likely to die at the hands of their abuser. 

Ohio has weak firearm laws, scoring only 13 out of 100 for gun law strength. In an average year, 1,702 people die and 3,753 people are wounded by guns in Ohio. Gun violence costs Ohio $22.3 billion each year, of which $493.7 million is paid by taxpayers. Learn more about gun violence in Ohio here. 

More information on gun-related domestic violence is available here. Information about the intersection of intimate partner violence and guns is available here. To speak with a policy expert, Moms Demand Action and/or Students Demand Action volunteer, or survivor of gun violence please do not hesitate to reach out. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. If you’re unable to speak safely via phone, you can chat online at thehotline.org.