Families Of Victims Of Sikh Temple Shooting, Sister Of Slain Newtown Teacher, Wisconsin Mayors, And Faith Leaders Hold Memorial Marking One-Year Anniversary Of Oak Creek Shooting

Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Sikh Temple of Wisconsin Host Remembrance Event in Oak Creek; Participants Memorialize Victims, Read Names of Americans Killed by Gun Violence

Event is Part of "No More Names: National Drive to Reduce Gun Violence" Bus Tour; www.NoMoreNames.org

OAK CREEK, Wis., Aug. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mayors Against Illegal Guns and the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin held a remembrance event in Oak Creek on Monday to mark the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at the temple that killed six worshippers and left four others injured. Participants and local community members honored the memories of the Oak Creek victims and joined together in a call to action, urging America's leaders to take meaningful action to reduce gun violence nationwide and help prevent future tragedies.

In addition to musical performances, prayers, and remarks, the remembrance event also included a reading of just some of the names of gun violence victims from across the country who have been killed since the December 2012 Sandy Hook massacre. To date, more than 7,700 Americans have been murdered with guns since Newtown.

"One year after my father and five other people were brutally gunned down during morning prayers at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, it's time that we honor their memories by taking meaningful action to reduce gun violence in America," said Amardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed in the Oak Creek massacre. "Too many families in Oak Creek and across the country have been forced to bury their loved ones because of this scourge of violence. Our leaders must act now to help save lives."

"The mass shooting in Oak Creek last year was another tragic reminder of the gruesome toll that gun violence takes on communities and families across the country," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. "Along with more than 1,000 mayors across the country – in addition to survivors of gun violence, families of victims, law enforcement, gun owners, and faith leaders – I urge our leaders in Washington to pass common-sense gun laws that will help save lives and prevent future tragedies."

"From Newtown to Oak Creek to communities across the nation, there are far too many Americans being killed by the epidemic of gun violence in this country," said Carlee Soto, whose sister Victoria, a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School, was killed in the Newtown massacre. "I stand with the families who lost loved ones in Oak Creek – in addition to the scores of families of gun violence victims across America – in calling on our elected officials in Washington to stop playing politics and prioritize public safety. We cannot afford to wait any longer for common-sense action that will help save lives."

Participants in Monday's remembrance event included: Carlee Soto, whose sister Victoria, a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School, was killed in the Newtown mass shooting; Amardeep and Pardeep Kaleka, whose father was killed in the Sikh Temple shooting; Mayors Tom Barrett of Milwaukee and Steve Scaffidi of Oak Creek, both members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns; U.S. Attorney James Santelle; Kamal and Harpreet Saini, whose mother Paramjit Kaur was killed in the Sikh Temple shooting; the families of Oak Creek victims Sita and Ranjit Singh, Prakash Singh, and Suveg Singh Khattra; Elvin Daniel, a gun owner and NRA member whose sister Zina was shot and killed in the October 2012 Brookfield spa shooting; Reverend Willie Brisco from the Milwaukee Inner City Allied for Hope; Colin Goddard, a survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting who works for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Every day, 33 Americans are murdered with guns in this country. "No More Names: National Drive to Reduce Gun Violence" is part of Mayors Against Illegal Guns' ongoing, national effort to continue raising awareness to the issue of gun violence in America and urge common-sense action that will help save lives. States on the tour include: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin. For more information, please visit www.NoMoreNames.org.

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 1,000 mayors from across the country. With more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters – including more than 29,000 in Wisconsin – the coalition is the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country. The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation's mayors around these common goals: protecting communities by holding gun offenders accountable; demanding access to crime gun trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other dangerous people to get guns. Learn more at www.MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org.

The coalition includes 23 member mayors in Wisconsin: Mayor JanAlyn Baumgartner of Adams; Mayor Wayne R. Schmidt of Algoma; Mayor William C. Whalen of Ashland; Mayor Larry MacDonald of Bayfield; Mayor Jerome A. Tepper of Glendale; Mayor Gene Rosin of Kaukana; Mayor Keith Bosman of Kenosha; Mayor Paul Fisk of Lodi; Mayor Paul R. Soglin of Madison; Mayor Justin M. Nickels of Manitowoc; Mayor Chris L. Meyer of Marshfield; Mayor Kurt Sonnentag of Middleton; Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee; Mayor Robert Miller of Monona; Mayor Steve Scaffidi of Oak Creek; Mayor Charles Peterson of Phillips; Mayor John Dickert of Racine; Mayor CoryAnn St. Marie-Carls of Saint Francis; Mayor Bruce C. Hagen of Superior; Mayor John J. Rusch of Tomah; Mayor Scott Griffiths of Washburn; Mayor James E. Tipple of Wausau; and Mayor Kathy Ehley of Wauwatosa.

CONTACTS
Alex Katz: [email protected] or 646-324-8245
Stacey Radnor: [email protected] or 202-870-6668
Lizzie Ulmer: [email protected] or 269-271-2331

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns