Mass shooting survivors, gun reform advocates gather to devise new approach to end violence
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - Signs for the gun reform groups Brady and CeaseFirePa show brightly in the home of the Eagles. The shrine to football becomes a place to battle gun deaths.
Aalayah Eastmond survived the 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida by hiding under the body of slain student. She told FOX 29’s Jeff Cole, "Parkland really gave me the power to talk about this issue, to shed light on other communities that don’t have opportunities to speak out about what they’re facing."
Eastmond joined about 100 other gun violence activists for a 2-day gathering at the Link, the space donated by the Eagles, to show community members how to push back against gun dealers in their neighborhoods they claim are breaking gun laws - putting firearms on the street.
Rachelle Hunley is with Brady, United Against Gun Violence. She said the group is, "Asking community members to take this information and spread it through media and your local networks and get these gun stores held accountable."
Adam Gerber leads CeaseFirePa. He said, "There are some bad apples who are really responsible for most of the gun violence, most of the guns used in gun violence within the city.
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Democrats advanced four gun-control bills in Pennsylvania's state House of Representatives on Wednesday, after years of a virtual standstill on legislation amid a politically divided government.
The gathering comes as gun safety legislation, say advocates, passed in the Democratic-controlled Pa. House, is being bottled up in the Republican-held state senate.
Meredith Elizalde lost her son to gun violence. She said, "If people knew what it felt like to watch your child be murdered at school, they’d all be here in this summit."
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Elizalde’s 14-year-old son, Nick, his portrait standing inside the gathering among others slain, was murdered outside Roxborough High School a year and a half ago. Elizalde said, "When I contact the senate, they tell me those bills wouldn’t have saved Nick anyway. Am I hopeful? No. It doesn’t mean I’ll stop working."