Fourth Shooting in 24 Hours: Two People Shot and Killed in Lancaster, California Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Chapters Respond 

LANCASTER, Calif. — The California chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, issued this joint statement following a shooting in Lancaster. According to reports, the tragic incident occurred Wednesday afternoon on the 800 block of E Avenue J-12, where two people were shot and killed and six others were wounded. Yesterday’s shooting was the fourth shooting in a span of 24 hours in Lancaster, following three other shootings Tuesday night which left two other men dead and another person wounded.

“Our hearts are with the victims and family members of these horrific incidents,” said Lavender Vroman, a volunteer leader in Lancaster with the California chapter of Moms Demand Action. “This week we have been reminded of the heartbreak of senseless acts of gun violence. We can’t and we refuse to accept this as our sole reality. We must continue to work on policies that keep guns out of our streets and protect our communities from the pain of our gun violence crisis.” 

In an average year, 3,299 people die and 9,787 are wounded by guns in California. California ranks 45th in both gun death rates and societal cost of gun violence at $1,060 per person each year. Gun deaths and injuries cost California $41.9 billion, of which $1.1 billion is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in California is available here.