LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today responded to reports of a shooting yesterday that killed a daycare center caregiver while nine children were present. The caregiver, Shirley Jackson, was a beloved figure in the community and had been caring for children for decades. Police officers have reportedly characterized the incident as a “drive-by” shooting, and do not believe the caregiver was the intended target.
STATEMENT FROM AUSTIN BAILEY, VOLUNTEER CHAPTER LEADER WITH THE ARKANSAS CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Thursday’s shooting of a caregiver at a home daycare where nine children were present is a horrific nightmare, and my prayers are with Shirley Jackson’s friends and family. Entrusting a daycare center to care for your children is one of the hardest things a parent will ever have to do. Parents should never have to worry whether these centers will become a place where their children may experience gun violence. We cannot sit back and allow these shootings to continue. It is time for lawmakers to stand up and join us in our fight to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. Our children’s lives are on the line.”
