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REPRINTED FROM THENEXTMAYOR.COMSept. 25 press release, (submitted via e-mail) |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2006 Contact: David Dunphy (215) 636-0660 office
(202) 256-6286 cell
Today, Knox, Family Members of Gun Violence Victims Deliver 80,000 Signatures to Governor Ed Rendell at 12:00 p.m. in the Governor’s Reception Room in the Capitol.
Harrisburg, PA. On the eve of the Pennsylvania House hearing on crime and violence, Tom Knox, joined by Philadelphians who lost family members to gun violence, today presented Governor Edward G. Rendell with 80,000 signatures urging Harrisburg to take action to allow Philadelphia to write its own gun laws.
“Philadelphia is facing an epidemic. Everyday gun violence is ripping apart our city, threatening our families, our neighborhoods and our economy. Something must be done now. Over 80,000 Philadelphians have signed a petition to make their voice heard. It’s now up to Harrisburg to answer their pleas and do the right thing,” said Knox.
Shirley Boggs, President of Mothers United Through Tragedy, a support group for mothers who have lost children to gun violence said, “it’s so important for all of us to get involved. Our family members who’ve died, can’t speak for themselves, so we must speak for them. The legislature must hear our voice and do something to end the violence.”
Tuesday, September 26th, the House of Representatives will hold an anti-crime session, where over 100 bills have been proposed to address the issue of crime and violence.
Governor Edward G. Rendell announced that he was glad to accept the petitions and added “I will be happy to deliver the petitions to the legislature. I can not sign a law unless they pass it. I thank Mr. Knox for being a galvanizing force in this effort.”
Knox started the petition drive to end gun violence a month ago to give the citizens of Philadelphia a way to make their voice heard before the legislature. Hundreds of volunteers circulated the petitions in synagogues, churches, community centers, parks, shopping centers, and door-to-door over the past four weeks.
The General Assembly took away the right for Philadelphia to write its own gun laws in 1995. As of September 23th, Philadelphia had suffered 285 gun deaths this year.
Earlier in the day, Knox and the 30 Philadelphians who have lost a family member to gun violence gathered in Philadelphia in front of Colosimo’s Gun Shop to load petitions into vans to drive to Harrisburg. There Knox announced that he was personally donating a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the killers of Casha-e Rivers, a 5 year old girl who was killed yesterday morning in Philadelphia while riding in her family’s car. Earlier this year, Knox had offered to provide a similar reward in the murder of Philadelphia police officer Gary Skerski.
Colosimo’s has been listed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence as one of the 10 worst “Bad Apple” gun dealers in the United States. “Philadelphia needs the right to regulate and, if need be shut down, places like this that flood our streets with guns” Knox stated in front of Colosimos.
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