Washington, D.C.— Below is a statement by U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran on last night’s mass shooting at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville that left three people dead and two injured.
“Today we woke up to learn about another school shooting that occurred last night at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Just three weeks ago it was at a high school in St. Louis. When will our young people be able to live without the fear of gun violence? When will the tragic and senseless carnage end?
“The nation’s mayors stand with UVA President Jim Ryan, Charlottesville Mayor Lloyd Snook, and the Charlottesville community as they mourn the three who were killed, aid those who were injured, comfort the families and friends of the victims, and work to begin the healing process.
“This summer, we made important progress with the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, but clearly, there is much more that must be done if we are to reduce the horrific gun violence plaguing our nation. Additional bipartisan gun safety legislation that could mitigate such tragedies remains stalled in the Senate. As the Senate reconvenes today, the bipartisan U.S. Conference of Mayors calls on that body to take up this legislation right away and pass it this year.”