(New York, NY) Marking 20 years since the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) Massacre on December 7, 1993, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) called on Congress to pass federal gun safety laws to protect citizens from mass murder and gun violence.
During the LIRR massacre, the killer used a semi-automatic Ruger 9mm weapon and 15-round magazines that he legally purchased to shoot 25 people on the crowded commuter train, killing six.
Leah Gunn Barrett, NYAGV Executive Director, said, “The LIRR Massacre was a wake-up call that gun violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, at anytime. But since that tragedy, Congress has made no progress in passing federal gun safety laws to protect its citizens from mass shootings. But New York has. Thanks to the NY SAFE Act, passed last January by a bipartisan legislature, Colin Ferguson could not have legally purchased his 15 round magazines in NY State. When it comes to common sense gun laws, New York is a model for the nation.”
The New York SAFE Act bans military-style assault weapons, limits high capacity magazines, requires five year recertification of pistol permits, mandates background checks on all gun and ammunition sales, and protects domestic violence victims by revoking the pistol permits of their abusers. New York’s strong gun laws mean that New York has the fourth lowest gun death rate in the country.
Barrett commented, “Over the last 20 years, Congress has actually regressed on gun safety, passing laws to protect the gun industry from lawsuits, tying the ATF’s hands and even allowing terrorists to legally buy guns. Not even the Sandy Hook tragedy could shake Congress from the iron grip of the corporate gun lobby.” In April, the Senate voted to defeat background checks on commercial gun sales, a ban on military-style assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and stronger penalties for gun trafficking.
Joyce Gorycki, an NYAGV board member whose husband, James, was murdered on that Long Island train 20 years ago, said, “It’s something that never leaves you. What happened to me can happen to anyone. When will Congress wake up, stop pandering to the gun lobby and do its duty to protect Americans from the epidemic of gun violence that since 1993 has killed over 400,000 Americans?”
About New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) is a statewide advocacy group working to reduce gun violence through advocacy and education designed to encourage action, influence public opinion and lead to policy change. With a primary focus on New York State, the organization also advocates at the local and national levels for sensible gun laws, policies and practices that protect New York state residents from gun violence. www.nyagv.org
