Mayor Horrigan Issues Statement On Recent Gun Violence

Last night, a 15-year-old boy here in Akron was shot and killed during an altercation. Last week, 10 people were killed in a mass shooting in a Buffalo grocery store. And yesterday, 19 children and 2 teachers were murdered in a Texas elementary school. Each death due to gun violence is tragic. Each one leaves behind a grieving family and a mourning community. Our hearts break each and every time there is a victim of senseless gun violence and it’s far too often we have to express condolences to those victims and their families.

This epidemic of gun violence isn't just an Akron problem, or a Texas problem, or a New York one. It is impacting communities across our nation, and it must be addressed at the highest levels. This country needs to wake the hell up and realize it has a gun problem. This isn't about politics. This is about protecting our children and our communities. I'm urging every state capital and Congress to take swift action. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own homes, schools, supermarkets, and cities, and common-sense gun laws would be a long overdue step in the right direction.