LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — Hundreds of people converged on the state Capitol today to make their voices heard about gun violence prevention. One of the main speakers was former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Gifford who was wounded tragically by gun violence in 2011.
The rally came less than a month after the deadly massacre at Michigan State University where three students lost their lives. A lot of students from MSU and Oxford High School were here today along with state lawmakers to speak out about gun safety.
Let’s get it done. That was the theme of this gun safety rally held right in front of the state Capitol.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was one of the main headliners. You may recall she was severely injured after being shot in the head in 2011 during a campaign event.
You’re still fighting for gun safety.
Giffords has a law center that ranks states every year on their gun law scorecard. Michigan gets a C+ grade for what they call only modest improvements to gun safety laws in recent years.
Just a month ago a shooting at Michigan State University took the lives of three students and left five other injured.
This rally tried to bolster historic legislation on the move in the Michigan legislature calling for guns to be safely stored away from children and for background checks no matter how a gun is purchased.
The parents of one of the students injured at Oxford High School and another son who hid during the MSU massacre believe rallies like this one are a starting point but both sides need to compromise.
There were nay-sayers here today as well. Fearful new legislation will take their guns away.
The majority of the people here are hoping new legislation in Michigan will prevent another tragedy like we saw at MSU and at Oxford High from ever happening again.
People came from near and far to raise their voices about the changes they want to see come to Michigan's gun laws. Hundreds of people stood together at the state Capitol demanding lawmakers do what needs to be done to keep kids safe from gun violence.
A few women traveled 90 minutes from Tecumseh to attend this gun safety rally in Lansing.
Many of the people in this crowd had two rallying cries enough is enough and let’s get it done.
Their mission is to force lawmakers to agree on changes to Michigan’s gun laws including safe storage laws, background checks no matter how the gun is purchased, and red flag laws.
The MSU shooting on the heels of the shooting at Oxford High was the last straw.
Protesters who don’t agree with changes to our gun laws were also on hand but way outnumbered.
The rally honored victims and survivors of gun violence including students from Michigan State University and Oxford High School.
Several pieces of gun-related legislation are already on the fast track here in the legislature and lawmakers say we could see changes within weeks.
