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Hartford Lawmakers Respond to Recent Shootings

April 13, 2021

In response to the recent shootings in Hartford on Saturday, April 10th, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, U.S. Congressman John Larson, Connecticut Senator Doug McCrory (D- Hartford/Bloomfield/Windsor), and Connecticut Representative Brandon McGee (D-Hartford/Windsor) have issued the following statements:

Representative Brandon McGee said, "I have a heavy heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to the each of the families, friends and communities mourning loved ones whose lives were cut short due to gun violence. I would like the city of Hartford to know that my colleagues and I, in the Connecticut legislature, are working to pass evidence-based policy addressing systemic issues including gun violence. I am working to educate myself on reform-driven policies enacted in various cities throughout the country. While this education and policy work is imperative, it is also vital that we acknowledge the systemic change which must occur in order to see change within our community. As we continue to fight the good fight against the multitude of systemic issues that plague our state, including racism, poverty, incarceration, and homelessness, we will begin to see long-lasting change within our community. My heart goes out to the city of Hartford and every community across the nation experiencing the effects of gun violence."

"My heart breaks for Randell Jones, Jamari Preston, their families, and the Hartford community. Every death that results from gun violence is a preventable tragedy, and the loss of these boys at such a young age is both a gut-punch and a reminder that lawmakers must act. I'm going to continue to fight to pass a background checks bill and other common sense gun laws to prevent these tragedies from happening," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy.

"The cycle of senseless gun violence that continues to tear our communities apart must stop. My heart is broken at the loss of these two young lives," said U.S. Congressman John Larson. "As our communities continue to mourn, we must come together to tackle the systemic issues that lead to this violence. I'll continue to work with Mothers United Against Violence, Hartford Communities That Care, and other local organizations on the front-line that provide services to our communities in the midst of these tragedies and who work tirelessly to try to prevent them. I'll keep fighting tirelessly to enact common-sense gun reform in Congress."

"This violence needs to stop, we cannot have more families suffer and grieve because of senseless gun violence. No parent should have to experience being unable to see their child grow up. It is on all of us to prevent what happened last week in Hartford from happening to someone else's child," said State Senator Doug McCrory. "Far too many young people have been exposed to these tragedies and they are left with trauma that will be with them for years. We need to come together and take collective actions to protect our young people."

Issues:Local