More than 85 gun safety advocates chanted “not one more” on the sidewalk outside the New Town office of Senator Tommy Norment today.
They gathered in response to the state’s most recent tragedy Friday when a gunman opened fire in the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, killing 12 people.
Surrounded by signs that read “Thoughts and Prayers Aren’t Enough” and “It’s not OK”, Norment addressed those fueled by tragedy and 12 years of inaction since the state was first shaken by the mass shooting at Virginia Tech.
Norment said he expects the General Assembly will act on extended magazines on firearms during the next session.
“I understand this is a very emotional time right now. I was in Virginia Beach yesterday and I think there ought to be a meaningful discussion legislatively and in the community about gun control,” Norment said. “I think some changes have been made. What I’m absolutely certain of, that not enough has been done that would satisfy most of the individuals that are here today.”
Norment shed a tear as he spoke with Jeanette Richardson, who lost her son to gun violence in Newport News 15 years ago.
Richardson is the chapter leader of the Hampton Roads Parents of Murdered Children and has testified for common sense gun legislation in the state since her son was killed.
“I’m asking for him to hear the voices of these people who are locked into a perpetual scream for the rest of their life. When you lose someone to this type of random violence, there’s never going to be peace of mind,” Richardson said. “I know that he never listened before. I just want him to hear and feel — this is a life sentence for this community.”
The orange shirts of the Hampton Roads chapter of Moms Demand Action stood out in the crowd, a nonpartisan group hoping to honor the memories of the victims in the most recent tragedy by demanding action.
They want discussions about universal background checks, high capacity magazines and Extreme Risk Protection Orders, that were talked about but not acted on last session.
“We’re tired of 100 people a day nationwide losing their lives to gun violence,” Ruth Winters, local leader of Peninsula Area Moms Demand Action. “I hope our leaders in the state legislature actually pay attention to this and sit down and really do something.”