SPOKANE, Wash. — The Chase gallery in front of Spokane’s City Hall was scattered with red T-shirts gathered for a vigil in light of two recent mass shootings.
Local moms from the national group “Moms Demand Action” planned Sunday’s event.
Speakers from that group, along with others from Students Demand Action, spoke to a crowd about what they said is a national issue with guns.
People stood during moments of silence for those who were killed and affected by the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings. The shootings left dozens dead and about 50 people injured.
Tara Lee and her daughter said they were in Washington D.C., for a conference against gun violence when the El Paso mass shooting happened.
“The whole plan for the evening changed. Instead of our closing night ceremonies, they cancelled them and we marched to the White House,” Lee said.
She said the march gave her the idea to bring a similar event for awareness back to Spokane.
“We really just want people to understand and to know that this isn’t an issue so much about numbers, but that it’s a gun issue in general. It really is,” Lee said.
Students from local schools also spoke at the vigil about their concerns from shootings they’ve heard about.
“My first experience with [seeing gun violence] was Sandy Hook when I was in the fifth grade. Ever since then, it’s something that you think about and it really shouldn’t be,” said Jadyn Malone, a speaker with Students Demand Action. “Just being in school, you shouldn’t have to fear for your life.”
Malone said this is why she got involved with the group and attended the vigil.
“We wanted to honor these lives, but we also wanted to provide people with concrete actions that they can take to make a difference," she said. We just really want as many people as possible to share their voice and opinion on this matter.”
