Reminder: Mayors Against Illegal Guns event Monday downtown

by David Safier

I've been told the turnout for this event is growing:

Mayors Against Illegal Guns comes to TUCSON
On the National Drive to Fix Gun Checks
www.FixGunChecks.org

Monday, March 28th, 1pm, 101 N. Stone Ave: Jacome Plaza, outside the main library.

Lots of people will be featured, including Dr. Peter Rhee (Chief of Trauma, UMC), Sen. Dennis DeConcini, Tom Volgy, Terry Goddard, Clarence Dupnik, Tony Estrada and Karin Uhlich. Local religious leaders Pastor David Wilkinson (St Francis in the Foothills) and Rev. Jan Flaaten (Arizona Ecumenical Council) are also on the progam.

Also in attendance  will be Patricia Maisch, who, on January 8, managed to get the second magazine of bullets away from Jared Loughner before he could reload, Ross Zimmerman, father of slain Giffords aide Gabe Zimmerman and Omar Samaha, whose sister Reema was killed at Virginia Tech.

Though Arizona's Republican legislators and governor are hellbent on taking our state in the wrong direction on gun regulation, progress is being made on the national level, and this Mayors group is at the center of what's happening.

For more information, read the Press Release from Mayors Against Illegal Guns after the jump.

 

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:
March 28, 2011
 
TUCSON SHOOTING VICTIMS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR
MAYORS’ PLAN TO FIX GUN BACKGROUND CHECKS
 
Two Weeks After Obama Signals Support for Fixing Background Checks,
More Than 6,700 Arizonans Announce Support for Federal Fix Gun Checks Act
 
Follow the Fix Gun Checks Campaign and Mobile Truck Team at www.FixGunChecks.org  
 
Tucson shooting victims and families will join faith leaders, law enforcement officials and community leaders to announce their support for a national campaign to get Congress to fix the nation's gun background check system.  The event will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 28th.
 
A centerpiece of the campaign is the Fix Gun Checks truck, which keeps a running tally of Americans murdered with guns since the Tucson tragedy.  Omar Samaha, whose sister Reema was killed at Virginia Tech, has been traveling with the truck coast-to-coast. Omar Samaha, Dr. Peter Rhee, Chief of Trauma at University Medical Center who treated victims of the Tucson shooting, Patricia Maisch, who stopped Jared Loughner from reloading, and Ross Zimmerman, father of slain Giffords aide Gabe Zimmerman will be available for interviews.
 
WHAT:          Large Gathering of Those Touched by Tucson shootings
 
WHEN:          1:00 p.m., March 28, 2011
 
WHERE:       Jacome Plaza, in front of the Joel D Valdez Main Library
                        101 North Stone Avenue
                        Tucson, AZ 85701
 
WHO:             Tucson shooting victims and family members, current and former public officials, from local to federal office, faith leaders, law enforcement officials, community leaders and others
 
Contact:  Fix the Gun Checks Campaign, Alex Howe (212) 260-8813 or ahowe@globalstrategygroup.com
 
The Monday event is part of the Fix Gun Checks Truck’s campaign across America.  The campaign was launched after the Tucson shootings by the 550 bi-partisan members of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan partnership that advocates common-sense reforms to keep guns out of dangerous hands.
 
6,784 Arizonans and more than 250,000 Americans have already signed a petition supporting the Mayors Against Illegal Guns plan to improve background checks.  The proposal includes two major reforms:  ensuring that all records of criminals and other prohibited gun purchasers are included in the background check database, and making sure every gun buyer passes an instant background check.
 
Tucson shooter Jared Loughner had an arrest record and had been refused enlistment in the U.S. Army because of admitted drug abuse.  Under current law, these facts should have barred him from buying a gun.  Like many other dangerous people, he slipped through the cracks in the background check system.
 
# # #
 
Alex Howe
Vice President, Communications
Global Strategy Group
895 Broadway, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10003
Office: 212.260.8813
Direct: 212.235.6202
Mobile: 202.271.7997
ahowe@globalstrategygroup.com
www.globalstrategygroup.com