<\/a>Members of Moms Demad Action for Gun Sense in America discuss assignments before soliciting lawmakers for their support of House Bill 62, or the ability to temporarily take guns away from people who have made threats or are having a mental health crisis. (Michael S. Lockett | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
“The evidence that is being collected from these states show that it’s reduced firearm suicides, mass shootings and school shootings,” said Justina Sullivan, Alaska social media lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “ I come from a hunting family and gun safety is very important. I think that gun owners have to have a voice in the solution.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Wednesday saw citizens from across the state fly to Juneau for the first Moms Demand Action attempt to visit all the legislators to push the Red Flag bill.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
“This was easier than people trying to dial in on their own,” Sullivan said. “Lots of people donated miles to make it happen.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Of all suicides in <\/a>Alaska<\/a>, 72% are gun related, Sullivan said. One hundred and 20 people in Alaska are killed every year with firearms. And in domestic violence situations, the presence of a gun is rarely good news, Sullivan said.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Gray-Jackson was quick to cite gun violence, suicide and public health crisis in the state as the reason she introduced the bill, not the Second Amendment. The Red Flag laws, Gray-Jackson said, would help to address those who need help, temporarily removing the quickest and surest means of harming themselves or others and giving them time to attend to their mental health.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “I think it’s really important that we do something now to address the gun violence in this state,” Gray-Jackson said. “This bill does nothing to alter anyone’s Second Amendment rights.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t