Dozens gathered in Kansas City to rally against guns on Saturday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
In wake of the shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl, Victory parade Wednesday that left 22 people hurt and one dead, dozens gathered at Washington Square Park Saturday for a gun violence prevention rally.
The rally held by the Kansas City chapter of Moms Demand Action was to spread awareness about gun violence and solutions to this "burgeoning epidemic," said a Facebook post by the group.
About 100 people gathered at the event Saturday, including advocate groups, city officials, state lawmakers, and more. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas was also in attendance.
"I'm just a guy who wants to make sure that I can drop my kid off at daycare without the fear of him being shot, that we can play in a park without the fear of being shot, that we can go to a parade without the fear of him being shot," Lucas said.
He also stated that no one is trying to take away Second Amendment rights, however, we must use "common sense". That includes reporting stolen guns and employing background checks to make sure guns aren't getting into the hands of those who are in crisis and then taking them to work or school.
Mayor Lucas also expressed how the trauma from Wednesday's shooting is having impacts all over the country.
"We would share this trauma with hundreds of thousands of other Kansas Citians from every background, every demographic, rural communities, big cities, suburbs, places, large and small, every single race," Lucas said.
According to the Kansas City Police Daily Homicide Analysis, 182 homicides occurred in 2023, taking the homicide rate to an all-time high, with a majority in 2023 involving firearms.
