Washington, DC—Below is a statement by U.S. Conference of Mayors President Bryan Barnett, Mayor of Rochester Hills (MI), on today’s shooting in El Paso:

“Once again there has been a mass shooting in a great American city and some lives have been lost, others unalterably changed.  America’s mayors stand with El Paso Mayor Dee Margo and the entire El Paso community at this difficult time.  They are going through something that is all too common in the United States — something that shouldn’t be possible in our country.  It should be possible for families to shop in safety on a Saturday afternoon.

“From what we know so far, the police took quick action and at least one suspect is in custody.  Once again, our brave first responders risked their lives to save others.

“Reducing gun violence is a top priority for America’s mayors.  We have been working hard individually in our cities to take what actions we can to make our cities safer.  And we have been working collectively through the U.S. Conference of Mayors to advocate for national policies that will increase gun safety and keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them.”