NEW ORLEANS, July 24, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Everytown for Gun Safety today released statements from the Louisiana chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, and from Tom Teves, whose son Alex was killed in the Aurora movie theater tragedy, in response to the shooting on Thursday evening at a movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana in which two people were killed and nine people were injured.  The shooting occurred just days after the third anniversary of the mass shooting in an Aurora movie theater in which 12 people were killed and more than 70 others suffered life-altering injuries.

STATEMENT FROM SARA CUSIMANO, A VOLUNTEER LEADER FOR THE LOUISIANA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION:

"First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families of the victims and those who are fighting for their lives in the hospital. While details are still unfolding, we know that two people were killed and nine others were injured while doing something all Americans should feel safe doing – watching a movie. It's been just over three years since the Aurora theater shooting and it is incomprehensible that our community is feeling the same shock and horror that Coloradans experienced in 2012.  From Charleston to Chattanooga, to now right here in Louisiana – we're tired of political leaders telling us that all we can do is pray in the wake of senseless tragedies like these. American moms have had enough – we demand that our political leaders take action to protect our communities from gun violence."

STATEMENT FROM TOM TEVES, FATHER OF ALEX TEVES, WHO WAS KILLED IN THE AURORA THEATER SHOOTING ON JULY 20, 2012

"Once again, another community is reeling from a senseless act of gun violence and our hearts go out to them, the victims and those whose lives will be forever changed by the tragedy in Lafayette. I know all too well what they are experiencing right now -- exactly what my wife and I felt three years ago when a gunman opened fire in the Aurora movie theater and killed our son Alex along with eleven others and wounded 70 more physically and hundreds mentally. Something is very wrong in our society when Americans can't feel safe in a movie theater, or where they worship, or in a shopping mall. Enough is enough. It's time for our elected leaders to stand up, take action and stop allowing the gun lobby to put profits ahead of lives. It's time for meaningful solutions so that Not One More life is taken by gun violence. Failure to act makes our politicians culpable for this carnage."

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOOTING:

Incident:

• At approximately 7:20 p.m., (8:30 p.m. EST), a white, 59-year old male shot two and injured nine before fatally shooting himself during a screening of "Trainwreck" at the Grand Theatre in Lafayette, LA.

Location

• The movie theater shooting occurred at "The Grand Theatre 16" in Lafayette, LA. Lafayette, LA is approximately 60 miles west of Baton Rouge, LA.

Shooter

• The shooter was identified by media reports as a white 59-year old man from Alabama.  He had a prior criminal history, the details of which, have not yet been confirmed. 

Victims:

• The identities of the victims have not yet been publicly identified. The number of victims are confirmed as two fatally shot and nine injured. Law enforcement indicated that the victims ages range between late teens to late 60s.

Statements 

• "Whenever we see these or hear about these senseless acts of violence, it makes us both furious and sad at the same time. Lafayette is a strong community, we will get through this, we're a resilient community. This is an awful night for Lafayette, this is an awful night for Louisiana, this is an awful night for the United States." - Bobby Jindal (R) 
• "Please join Laura and I in praying for those in Lafayette right now." - Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy (R)

Louisiana Gun Facts     

• Louisiana is the most dangerous state for gun violence: its gun murder rate is the highest in the nation, a 164% higher than the national rate.

About Everytown for Gun Safety

Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than three million supporters and more than 40,000 donors including moms, mayors, survivors, and everyday Americans who are fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and help save lives.  At the core of Everytown are Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a grassroots movement of American mothers founded the day after the Sandy Hook tragedy.  Learn more at www.everytown.org and follow us @Everytown

About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than three million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand

MEDIA CONTACT
press@everytown.org or 202-683-9620

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SOURCE Everytown for Gun Safety

Related Links

http://www.momsdemandaction.org