Feb 26, 2008 1:29 pm US/Eastern
Activists Rally To Tighten Assault Weapon Laws
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
-
-
Jeffrey Gorley, Chairman of the Regional Community Collaboration on Violence, is one of the organizers of a rally in Liberty Square to promote a bill that would toughen gun laws dealing with assault rifles.
CBS
Community activists upset by the rising number of assault weapons being used in crimes across South Florida held a rally for a change Tuesday morning in Liberty Square.
Organizers say the rally is an effort to inspire members of the community to take action against people who use assault rifles like, AK-47s, in the commission of a crime. Rally participants were also informed of a bill introduced in the Florida Legislature that will toughen the penalties for those caught using an assault rifle in the commission of a crime.
"Our message is to the criminals out there who terrorize our community," Jeffrey Gorley, Chairman of the Regional Community Collaboration on Violence told CBS4's Sharrie Williams. "That if you have a gun and you go out and kill somebody, law enforcement will come after you."
In the last five months two South Florida police officers, Miami detective James Walker and Miami Dade police officer Jose Somohano, have been killed by criminals using assault weapons.
Walker's mother, Isabella Walker attended the rally. "I support, I support, I'm a proud supporter," she said.
"We do not want officer Somohano's and detect Walker's deaths to be in vain," said Gorley. "We are addressing the issue of the AK-47s, to hold people responsible who possess these guns and allow others to go out and shoot our citizens and our police officers, so those folks will be held accountable. Today's rally will highlight that. It's not just a Miami Dade issue, it's a Broward County issue as well, they've had some officers killed there as well. This rally will highlight the bill that has been submitted in the Legislature."
House Bill 447, known as the Officer Jose Somohano and Detective James Walker Assault Weapons Act, amends the language in the state's culpable negligence and gun laws, Chapters 784 and 790, Florida Statutes.
Gorley said representatives from the Miami Dade Police Department, the Broward Sheriff's Office, the City of Miami Police Department and a number of other agencies that are concerned about this issue will speak at the rally which begins at 10 a.m.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
