Social justice groups, Moms Demand Actionin conjunction with Students Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety joined forces with Congressman Joe Morelle on Sunday for a national rally to bring attention to the need for what they say are 'common sense' gun laws.
Hundreds of people came to Washington Square Park in Rochester to show their support
Morelle, a Democrat from Irondequoit, says that red flag laws and required universal background checks for gun purchases, have been passed in New York state and need to happen on a national level.
“Every single day you see the names of young people, innocent people killed by gun violence. And it shouldn’t have to take what happened Dayton or El Paso to do something but we’re obviously in light of that,just doubling down on our efforts see if can get the senate to act, " Morelle said.
Lentory Johnson spoke to the crowd about the effects of assault weapons getting in to the wrong hands. In 2015 Johnson’s son, Johnny Johnson, was gunned down in front of the boys and girls club.
“Because the young man's home that they broke in...he wasn’t supposed to have a AK47, it's illegal in New York state," Johnson said.
"He wasn’t supposed to have the 30-clip cartridges... secured in his home; he wasn’t supposed to have that, because it's illegal in New York state,” Johnson told the crowd.
Johnson said that gun bills like the ones recently signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, are good efforts but it’s just the beginning to ending gun violence in New York.
Morelle encouraged people to use their voice and to get involved with local social justice groups to effect change.