FOLLOW US

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona requested the Congress to take action on gun violence and keep America safer.

Giffords made the statement following the Las Vegas shooting that killed 58 people and injured hundreds of others on Sunday.

In a statement, Giffords said, I know this feeling of heartbreak and horror too well. Giffords was shot in the head outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona in 2011. She was conducting a “Congress on Your Corner” gathering with constituents at the time. The gunman killed six people and injured 19 people.

On Monday, the former Arizona lawmaker described the deadly mass shooting in Lass Vegas is a “grave tragedy for our nation.”  According to her, the violence “must stop. We must stop it."

Giffords tells Congress to take positive action now

Giffords said, “I am praying for the victims of this shooting, their families and friends. But I am praying for my former colleagues too. I am praying they find the courage it will take to make progress on the challenging issue of gun violence. I know they got into politics for the same reason I did — to make a difference, to get things done.

Furthermore, she emphasized that now is the time for Congress to “take positive action to keep America safer.” She said implored her former colleagues, “Do not wait. The nation is counting on you.”

Since surviving the shooting, Giffords and her husband, retired Navy Captain and astronaut Mike Kelly, became strong advocates for tougher gun laws. They established Americans for Responsible Solutions to encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence.

Critics condemn Hillary Clinton’s statement on guns after Las Vegas shooting

Separately, Hillary Clinton posted a message on Twitter stating her support for the victims and responders in the Las Vegas shooting.

Clinton wrote, “Las Vegas, we are grieving with you—the victims, those who lost loved ones, the responders, & all affected by this cold-blooded massacre.” The former Democratic presidential nominee also took an aim at National Rifle Association (NRA).

She added, “The crowd fled at the sound of gun shots. Imagine the deaths if the shooter had a silencer, which the NRA wants to make easier to get."

Furthermore, she said, “Our grief isn’t enough. We can and must put politics aside, stand up to the NRA, and work together to try to stop this from happening again.”