Activists, politicians gather at Capitol to call for gun control reform

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - Following mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio, activists affiliated with Everytown for Gun Safety and politicians gathered at the Texas State Capitol Saturday evening to call for gun control reform. 

The rally took place exactly two weeks after the shooting in El Paso occurred. The shooting in Dayton happened only hours later the following day. The shootings collectively claimed the lives of more than thirty people. 

The activists who gathered at the rally said they sought to honor the lives lost in the shootings -- as well as lives lost in other shootings. 

“There are times that the momentum, we use our anger and our fear and our sorrow, and come together as a community to remember those survivors remember those people who are killed and to show our power that this is every American,” Molly Bursey said. “This is every Texan and we want to change this.”

Bursey serves as regional deputy chapter leader of the Texas chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. 

The group called on lawmakers, specifically senators, to pass additional legislation regarding background checks and an aggressive federal red flag bill. 

“So, red flag laws are just crucial because they can save lives,” Moms Demand Action spokesperson and volunteer Amy Edwards said. “They create a way for family members and law enforcement to act before the warning signs escalate into these terrible tragedies that we’ve seen over, and over, and over

The activists had the chance to share their message with many politicians in attendance, like former state Senator Wendy Davis. 

“We as moms and grandmoms won’t stand for this anymore, we should hold our elected officials to account and demand that they act, make sure that our kids, and our grandkids are safe.” said Davis.