Advocacy groups gathered into legislative hall to fight gun violence in Delaware

DOVER, Del. – A host of advocacy groups partnered to urge legislators to pass safer gun laws. Groups headed to Legislative Hall for ‘Advocacy Day’ to fight gun violence in Delaware.

Traci Murphy, Director of Coalition for a Safer Delaware, partnered with Moms Demand Action to make the event possible. Murphy claims gun violence is common. “We know that gun violence happens on the intersection of impulse and access. And we can’t regulate impulse, but we can regulate access, and that’s what we’re focused on doing.”

Gun safety groups joined forces to support strengthening gun purchase laws. According to advocates, 127 Delawareans die of gun violence every year. 305 are wounded.

Last year. advocates fought to get a permit to purchase bill over the finish line, and this year they advocated for an additional measure. They hope to push for a record keeping system for permit to purchase transactions.

Vaughn Bond attended the event. He is a former homicide detective in Delaware and believes improving current legislation is paramount.”I’m not saying people can’t have firearms, but we want to make sure we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that the people who have firearms are responsible.”

Advocates gathered the legislative building to talk with lawmakers. “When it’s too easy to access guns, it’s too easy for guns to flood into our communities, and it’s too easy for bad outcomes to happen,” said Murphy.

She adds that this is not a political problem – and thinks there is broad support on both sides of the aisle. “Democrats and Republicans support gun violence prevention policy advancement. There is a myth that this is a left or right issue, but it’s a life or death issue.”