Letter to the Editor: Please end gun violence!

Last week, three people died in a random shooting at a Circle K in Yakima. The gunman was angry because he had locked keys in his car.

There were shootings at a dance hall in California, as well as at a party near Beverly Hills.

California has strict gun laws, but there are few restrictions in Arizona. Little can be done until there is effective federal legislation.

No one is safe! There have been more than 50 mass shootings in January! Gun violence is the Number One killer of American children.

Our Congressman Dan Newhouse opposes any gun regulation. He is a pawn of the NRA and its mantra that “The Only Solution to Gun Violence Are More Guns!”

Newhouse voted against bipartisan gun legislation. The 2022 measure didn’t ban any weapons, but it includes $750 million for red flag programs which allow courts to temporarily seize firearms from anyone believed to be a danger to themselves or others.

The law bars guns from anyone convicted of domestic violence, but gun rights can be restored after five years if they haven’t committed other crimes.

Newhouse offered no solution for the recent gun violence other than tepid “thoughts and prayers.”

We support Gov. Jay Inslee’s bill to ban assault weapons in our state. No one needs weapons of war on our streets.

We also want universal background checks for gun purchases; clips for guns limited to nine bullets; a ban on all “ghost guns” (those made of plastic on home machines); permits for concealed weapons; a mandate that all firearms be stored in a locked gun safe; and proof of insurance for those possessing assault weapons.

Kenneth Stinnett, Sunnyside