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Gun violence walk calls for change

Group walks to Senator Jeff Flake's office, calling for change
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TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - More than 100 people in Tucson joined thousands across the country to take part in the Orange Walk to End Gun Violence. The event commemorates three years since 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  After the shooting in San Bernardino earlier this month, the walk took on extra importance.

Some lost a child, others lost family and friends. The loss brought together more than 100 people to the Orange Walk to End Gun Violence. The national event honors victims and survivors of gun violence.

Chilling memories of Sandy Hook, January 8th and more recently San Bernardino prompted them to call for change. The group walked from the Safeway where Jared Loughner opened fire down to Senator Jeff Flake's office in demand for stronger gun control laws.

They walked in solidarity, each of them with a different story.

"My daughter had been shot in the head and murdered that day," said Deborah Parker. "The person that killed her was a felon with a  long history of violence that should not have been able to have a gun."
 
Among some of the participants were survivors. Pam Simon was shot in that same Safeway parking lot just four years ago. 
 
"The bullet passed a quarter-of-an-inch from my heart and sailed halfway through my body and somehow managed not to hit any vital organs," said Simon. "So much has happened since that day and I've met survivors from across the country. I've really come to understand how widespread this epidemic is and how lives are shattered forever."
 
The group says by enforcing background checks on all gun purchases they can begin making strides toward preventing senseless acts of violence. 
 
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