Mass Shooting in Columbus Wounds 10, Including Two Minors; Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Today, the Ohio chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statements after a mass shooting early Sunday morning left 10 people wounded, including two minors, in the Short North area of Columbus. Investigations are still ongoing, but a suspect surrendered to police. Sunday’s shooting comes just weeks after another tragic mass shooting in Akron shot and killed one person and wounded 27 people. 

“While our lawmakers offer thoughts and prayers, our communities continue to be devastated by senseless acts of gun violence. How many more families have to experience this tragedy before our lawmakers finally take action to keep us safe?” said Shela Blanchard, a volunteer with the Ohio chapter of Moms Demand Action and Fellow with the Everytown Survivor Network. “We should not fear that our loved ones won’t make it home alive after leaving the house. It’s time that our lawmakers put our safety ahead of the gun lobby and implement common sense gun safety policies.”

“This is the devastating reality of being a young person in America: Just trying to go about our daily lives and not knowing if we’ll make it home,” said Gabi Iler, a volunteer with Ohio Students Demand Action. “We can’t become numb to this crisis and we can’t accept that this is the way we have to live. Everyone has a right to public safety. Our movement won’t stop fighting until Ohioans can live without the fear of gun violence.”

Despite the fact that Ohio’s gun death rate has increased by 42% from 2013 to 2022, which is higher than the nationwide increase, state lawmakers have refused to take any action to keep their constituents safe from gun violence. Instead, lawmakers have spent the last several years passing dangerous laws including eliminating the requirement that a person get a permit and safety training before carrying a concealed gun in public, making it easier for teachers in K-12 schools to carry firearms and a Shoot First law – encouraging violence and vigilantism in public. 

Ohio lawmakers at all levels must take lifesaving action to curb gun violence in the state, including keeping people who pose a risk to themselves or others from obtaining firearms, supporting community violence intervention programs, and opposing any attempts to pass legislation supported by the gun lobby that would weaken life-saving gun laws. 

Ohio has some of the weakest firearm laws in the country, scoring only 13 out of 100 for gun law strength. In an average year, 1,728 people die and 3,526 people are wounded by guns in Ohio. Gun violence costs Ohio $22.3 billion each year, of which $493.7 million is paid by taxpayers. Learn more about gun violence in Ohio here.