At a church in Washington, D.C., Sandy Hook survivor Jackie Hegarty was among those who took part in the tenth annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence.
“I heard and saw things no child, no person should ever have to see,” Hegarty said.
The vigil was organized by the Newtown Action Alliance Foundation and more than 100 partners in the gun violence community.
It was meant to honor all victims and survivors of gun violence.
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“The last 10 years have not been easy, but living my life honoring the victims has helped -- being kind like Principal Dawn Hochsprung and choosing love like Jesse Lewis and so many others,” Hegarty said.
People commemorated the 10-year mark of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Twenty children and six educators were killed on Dec. 14, 2012.
“I spent several days up at Sandy Hook and then went back. At the time, it was astounding to see even then the courage that was represented,” President Joe Biden said.
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Since that horrific event, more than one million Americans have been shot and over 400,000 killed by guns.
Following Sandy Hook, this annual event is meant to make sure those impacted by gun violence are not forgotten and to keep the issue front and center.
“So much of what we’ve done in Connecticut, the strongest gun laws in Connecticut, in the nation. But we know guns have no respect for state boundaries and that’s why we need federal protection,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D – Connecticut.
Advocates say while there have been successes including the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, they’d like to see action when it comes to an assault weapons ban and safe gun storage like Connecticut’s Ethan’s Law.
