Media Advisory: Gun Violence Survivors, Law Enforcement Officials, And Domestic Violence Prevention Advocates Come Together To Expand Background Checks To All Gun Sales In Nevada

Survivors from Carson City IHOP, Newtown, and Tucson Shootings Will Unveil TV Ad Urging Nevada to Pass S.B. 221, Universal Background Check Legislation

New Ad Features Gilles Rousseau, Daughter Was a Teacher Killed at Newtown: http://www.DemandAction.org/Nevada

*** Media Advisory***

CARSON CITY, Nev., May 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Gun violence survivors, law enforcement representatives, and domestic violence prevention advocates will join Senator Justin Jones on Tuesday in Carson City in support of S.B. 221, the Nevada Senate bill that will keep guns out of the hands of criminals, the seriously mentally ill and other dangerous people. Survivors will also unveil a television ad featuring Gilles Rousseau, whose daughter Lauren was a teacher killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, urging Nevada to pass S.B. 221. The ad can be viewed at www.DemandAction.org/Nevada.

S.B. 221 will close the private sale loophole by requiring all private sellers, with reasonable exceptions, to conduct background checks through licensed dealers for all sales. An overwhelming majority of Nevadans – 86 percent – support requiring criminal background checks on all gun sales.  Ninety-seven percent of Nevada residents live within 10 miles of one of the 509 licensed dealers in Nevada – four times the number of post offices in the state – therefore, this commonsense reform would not impose a burden on private sellers.

Event details are below.

What: Gun Violence Survivors, Law Enforcement Representatives, Domestic Violence Prevention Advocates To Hold Press Conference and Announce New TV Ad in Support of Nevada Senate Bill 221

Who: Colonel Bill Badger (ret.), shot in the head and tackled the shooter in Tucson
Neil Heslin, six-year old son Jesse was killed in Newtown
State Senator Justin Jones, Sponsor of S.B. 221
Tracy Kelly, husband Heath Kelly was killed in the 2011 Carson City IHOP shooting
Patricia Maisch, wrestled the ammunition clip from the shooter in Tucson
Sue Meuschke, Executive Director of NV Network Against Domestic Violence
Gilles Rousseau, daughter Lauren was a teacher killed in Newtown
Nevada law enforcement representatives       

When: Tuesday, May 21 at 10:00 AM PST

Where: Steps of the Capitol: 101 Carson Street, Carson City, NV
(Note: In case of inclement weather, alternate location is Room 1214 in the Capitol)

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Since its creation in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 members to more than 950 mayors from across the country. We have more than 1.5 million grassroots supporters, making us 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

MEDIA CONTACT
Kate Downen: [email protected] or 406-224-5056
Reggie Burton: [email protected] or 702-604-4283

SOURCE Mayors Against Illegal Guns