Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. which claimed the lives of 20 young children and six adults, all innocent and unsuspecting, and shook the entire nation to its core. In remembrance of those 26 innocuous souls, Massachusetts politicos have released statements thanking investigators and police officials, urging Congress to continue to fight for stronger gun legislation and offering their condolences to friends and families of those lost but not forgotten.
Said Massachusetts Attorney General and gubernatorial hopeful Martha Coakley,
“Saturday is the one year anniversary of the tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and we will all pause to remember the innocent lives that were lost that day.
“It is also a sad reminder of the failure of Congress to take any meaningful action on sensible gun control reform. I continue to urge Congress to pass legislation to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, and close the gun show loophole. There are also additional steps we can take in Massachusetts to better protect our communities. Governor Patrick has proposed necessary changes such as closing the gun show loophole and bringing Massachusetts into compliance with national criminal background check requirements. I also look forward to reviewing the recommendations of the Speaker’s task force that are expected soon. We must all commit ourselves to ending gun violence in America – whether in a suburban school or on the streets of our largest cities. The time for action is now.”
Similarly, Massachusetts Speaker of the House Bob DeLeo released this statement,
“I thank Dean McDevitt and the members of this informal group of experts for their dedication and diligence as they conclude their work. Now that almost a year has passed since the unthinkable gun violence committed in Newtown, Connecticut, I am proud that we are poised to take action and address these types of horrific crimes in a comprehensive manner. I look forward to receiving the group’s report.“
For those looking to actively memorialize the Sandy Hook victims, the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence will be hosting a commemorative rally from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Boston Common as well as a candlelight vigil at First Church of Boston on Marlborough Street.
Speakers currently scheduled for this event include Mayor Elect Marty Walsh, Rep. David Linsky, Rep. Tom Conroy, Tina Chery, Kim Odom, Cindy Diggs, John Rosenthal and Sheriff Peter Koutoujian.
Registration is required so be sure to sign up online.
