Hamilton responds to mass shooting at Halloween party

Over the weekend, one 16-year-old girl was killed and nine other teenagers and young adults were wounded in a shooting at a Halloween party in northeast Indianapolis. State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis), whose district the shooting took place in, issued the following statement:

“My heart aches for the family of the 16-year-old girl who lost her life to gun violence this weekend, and my thoughts and prayers are with the nine other young people suffering from injuries. 

“In the wake of another mass shooting, I call for Indiana to enact common sense gun safety measures. Enough was enough years ago, and yet we continue to move backward as a state when it comes to gun safety. 

“Indianapolis has grieved the losses of a devastating number of teenagers and young adults as gun violence continues to plague our neighborhoods. People deserve safety. No matter where you are - a school, a bowling alley, or a Halloween party - we deserve to live our lives with peace and security, not with a flurry of panic at every loud noise. 

“As we continue to pray for the victims of the latest mass shooting in central Indiana, it’s past time we in the General Assembly do our part to address this growing issue of gun violence. We know that safe storage requirements, open carry permit requirements and the closing of loopholes on background checks, for example, can reduce the prevalence of firearms in public spaces.  A decrease in violence is possible, but it will take the political will of the Republican supermajority to get it done.”