Families of victims and survivors of gun violence join advocates outside the U.S. Capitol Building to read names of young people killed until Congress takes action
Follow on Twitter: #NoMoreNames
Washington, D.C. — Families and friends of those killed and injured six years ago at Virginia Tech will stand with families of the victims and survivors of the Tucson, Aurora, and Newtown massacres on Tuesday at the #NoMoreNames vigil outside the U.S. Capitol Building to remember those tragically murdered and demand congressional action on gun legislation. At 9:38 a.m. ET, the exact moment the shooting began, a moment of silence will take place to honor the lives lost, followed by remarks memorializing those killed and a call on Congress to take immediate action.
Speakers tomorrow include Lori Haas, whose daughter Emily was shot at Virginia Tech; Peter Read, father of Mary Karen Read, who was shot and killed at Virginia Tech; Colin Goddard, who was shot multiple times at Virginia Tech; and Omar Samaha, brother of Reema Samaha, who was shot and killed at Virginia Tech.
The #NoMoreNames campaign originated last Wednesday, April 10, when families of victims and survivors of gun violence gathered to read the names of the men, women, and children who have been killed by guns since the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, last December. In total, 10,076 names were read continuously for 32 hours and 40 minutes. The name reading resumed on Monday, April 15, when the Senate returned from recess and will continue around the clock in the weeks to come until a vote on gun legislation.
The continuous name reading will pause Tuesday during the moment of silence and then will continue until the Senate votes on comprehensive gun-violence prevention. Tuesday’s #NoMoreNames reading will focus on the tragic number of young people who fall victim to gun violence every year by reading only the names of individuals under the age of 30 who have been shot and killed since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The Virginia Tech moment of silence at the #NoMoreNames vigil is being organized by gun-violence-prevention advocates from the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Coalition To Stop Gun Violence, and Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Other organizations contributing to the #NoMoreNameseffort include Americans for Responsible Solutions, chapters of the Million Mom March, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Newtown Action Alliance, Organizing for Action, the PICO National Network, Project to End Gun Violence, Protest Easy Guns, and Sojourners
WHO:
Families and friends of those killed and injured six years ago at Virginia Tech will stand with families of victims and survivors from the Tucson, Aurora, and Newtown massacres and other gun-violence-prevention advocates, including:
- Lily Habtu, shot two times and survived in the Virginia Tech shooting
- Lori Haas, mother of Emily Haas, who was shot in the Virginia Tech shooting and survived
- Peter Read, father of Mary Karen Read, who was shot and killed in the Virginia Tech shooting
- Colin Goddard, shot four times in the Virginia Tech shooting and survived
- Andy Goddard, father of Colin Goddard
- Omar Samaha, brother of Reema Samaha, who was shot and killed in the Virginia Tech shooting
- Carlee Soto, Sister of Victoria Soto, who hid her students and then was shot and killed confronting the gunman in the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown
- Erica Lafferty, Daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School who was shot and killed trying to disarm the gunman
- Patricia Maisch, witness to the Tucson shooting, who physically restrained the shooter and prevented him from reloading his high-capacity magazine clip as law enforcement arrived
- Roxanna Green, Mother of Christina-Taylor Green, who was shot and killed at only 9 years old in the Tucson shooting
- Pam Simon, shot two times in the Tucson shooting and survived
- Sallie and Bill Badger, retired U.S. Army Colonel who physically restrained the shooter and was shot one time in the Tucson shooting and survived
- Sandy and Lonnie Phillips, parents of Jessica Ghawi, who was shot and killed in the Aurora shooting
- Stephen Barton, shot with 25 shotgun pellets in the Aurora shooting and survived
WHAT:
A vigil remembering the victims of the Virginia Tech massacre, the 3,300 lives lost to gun violence since the Newtown shooting, and calling on Congress to take action.
WHEN:
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
9:30 a.m. ET
The #NoMoreNames vigil will continue around the clock until the Senate passes gun-policy reform.
WHERE:
Outside the U.S. Capitol Building on the House of Representatives side behind the House Triangle.
Campaign resources:
For more information, please contact Katie Peters at [email protected] or 202.741.6285.
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