WATE News 6 – by Samantha Manning
KNOXVILLE (WATE) – Gun control advocates made their way to Nashville Wednesday to speak out in support of universal background checks and stricter regulations on gun use.
The stop in Nashville marked the eighth city the No More Names group has been to so far in its 100-day tour. They say they were here to spread the message of gun control to both the public and lawmakers.
Gun control advocates rallied in the state capitol, as family members of victims’ of gun violence each told their own story of loss.
The campaign is a nationwide effort to urge lawmakers, including Tennessee Sens. Corker and Alexander, to crack down on gun control. Several speakers stood, speaking from personal experience as survivors, including a Knoxville woman.
“I took my kids to church to see a children’s performance and it wasn’t took long after we sat down that a gunman opened fire,” said Tammy Sommers.
Sommers was shot at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville almost five years ago after a gunman opened fire, killing two people and wounding seven others, including Sommers.
“The Second Amendment, I do support. The word ‘regulation’ is in there and why as a country are we not choosing to oversee that properly,” she said.
Other survivors of mass shootings like the Aurora, Colorado movie theater are also taking part in the campaign.
Stephen Barton was there for the midnight showing of the Batman movie last July and now suffers from permanent nerve damage from his injuries.
“I was shot with a shotgun. About two dozen shotgun pellets went in my face, my neck, my chest,” he said.
The rally was met with little resistance. At one point, an audience member cried out that background checks already exist, arguing against the need for stricter regulations.
But he walked away peacefully, allowing the speakers to finish. Group members say they won’t stop until there are no more names left to read.
Sen. Bob Corker’s office released this statement about the event:
“We should be working to ensure that criminals and the mentally ill are not able to have access to guns, while at the same time ensuring that the Second Amendment rights are not infringed upon.”
The No More Names group will travel to Little Rock, Arkansas and New Orleans next and will continue to travel through August.
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