State and local leaders across Connecticut are demanding something be done following the recent tragedies in Tulsa, Uvalde, Buffalo and elsewhere.
On Thursday in South Windsor, people prayed and wore orange – a color meant to raise awareness about gun violence.
Many were heartbroken following several recent mass shootings in America.
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“Our tears have flowed as we watched the innocent people being murdered because preventative measures have not been put in place nationwide,” said Mayor Elizabeth Pendleton, D – South Windsor.
South Windsor’s mayor issued a proclamation designating Friday as National Gun Violence Awareness Day in town and urged community members to push for change.
On Thursday, West Hartford’s mayor called for adopting “common sense gun safety legislation.”
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And East Hartford also issued a similar proclamation following urging from resident Daniel Durso.
“It’s really sad and something needs to be done,” Durso said.
Some would like to see universal background checks, safe storage rules and a ban on assault weapons.
Amid all the talks going on, there could be some areas of agreement, according to a Newtown-based gun industry trade association.
“The National Shooting Sports Foundation has never been opposed to Red Flag laws so long that those laws have due process rights written into them very carefully,” said Mark Oliva, National Shooting Sports Foundation spokesman.
Red Flag laws allow guns to be temporarily taken from people considered a threat to themselves or others.
How laws, including red flag, actually play out has raised concerns for the Connecticut Citizens Defense League.
“There are a lot of people who don't seek help that are that have been ostracized from society because they're afraid that these laws will be used against them,” said Holly Sullivan, Connecticut Citizens Defense League president.
The CCDL also said there are areas for agreement. But they feel like many lawmakers, including from Connecticut’s congressional delegation, are not open to listening to them, especially about unintended consequences of laws.
