Washington, DC—Below is a statement by U.S. Conference of Mayors President Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther on today’s mass shooting at Florida State University:
“America’s mayors mourn the tragedy at Florida State University this afternoon that took the lives of at least two people, irrevocably altered those of six others and affected the entire Florida State and Tallahassee communities. We stand with Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey as he tries to comfort residents and begin the healing process.
“This was the 81st mass shooting in the United States this year. While shocking, we can no longer claim to be surprised. We often describe these acts of violence as senseless and random, yet they persist—not by chance, but because we have yet to summon the courage to stop them—leaving our children, our schools and our communities utterly vulnerable.
“Once again, America’s mayors call on Congress to put partisan differences aside, pass common sense gun safety legislation, and reject bills currently under consideration that would weaken our existing gun safety laws.”