Four Shot and Killed and 18 Others Injured in Shooting Near the University of Alabama at Birmingham; Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond

BIRMINGHAM, Al. — The Alabama chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, released the following statements in response to a mass shooting Saturday evening near the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which resulted in the of killing four people and wounding of at least 18 others. Authorities are reporting the shooting appeared to be a targeted attack, and they were still looking for the shooters.

“News of today’s shooting in the Five Points South area is gut wrenching, heartbreaking, and enraging for all students across the country,” said Walker Melson, junior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and lead of the University’s Students Demand Action chapter. “We shouldn’t have to keep saying this, but our schools and campuses shouldn’t be plagued by gun violence. We should feel safe going to class and enjoy our college towns without worrying about whether we might get shot. Guns are the number one killer of my generation and condolences have never shielded us from bullets. Our campuses shouldn’t have to become graveyards for politicians to take initiative and pass gun safety laws. To our lawmakers, how many more of us have to die before we put an end to this crisis?”

“The entire University of Alabama nation is united in our sadness and heartbreak,” said Melissa Bailey, a volunteer with the Alabama chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Thoughts and prayers are not enough – we need our lawmakers to act and pass common sense gun laws to protect our children. We demand you prioritize our lives.”

Firearms are the leading cause of death for children, teens and young adults (ages 1 to 25) in the United States. Children, teens and young adults in the U.S. are impacted by gun violence in all its forms. Exposure to gun violence has an impact on the psychological and mental well-being of young people and affects their school performance, among other factors. 
In an average year, 1,175 people die by guns in Alabama. With a rate of 23.9 deaths per 100,000 people, Alabama has the 4th-highest rate of gun deaths in the US.