Two Kentucky mothers Tuesday delivered a letter signed by 1,217 gun violence survivors to the Louisville office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., demanding that he enact tougher gun-control legislation.
"It's not about what political party you're affiliated with, it's about lives," Anita Franklin, whose son, Antonio, was killed in 2014, told Brooke Baldwin on CNN. "My son, 21 years old, his life could be saved — and we have to make sure these bills are put into place."
The other mother, Haley Rinehart, whose son, Eli, 4, lost an eye after being shot in the head with an unsecured gun, said: "We just want them to read it and understand that it's time to do something."
The mothers said a McConnell staffer came out to speak with them when they delivered the letter.
"We talked about the facts," Franklin said. "We talked about how he would feel if it occurred to him or someone in his family.
"I explained that Antonio had just turned 21 years old. He a true victim. He was not the victim of a crime. We had a lot of plans for a 21-year-old.
"Antonio lost his life that day, but he was an organ donor, so people gained their lives.
"It's not fair," Franklin told Baldwin. "We need action, and we need action now."
Rinehart said the signatories supported stronger red-flag laws and background checks on all gun sales, not just at gun shows.
"Everything needs a background check," she said.
Franklin, who said she told the McConnell staffer that she is a "responsible gun owner," added that background checks are necessary for "people who don't follow the law," so "they can be held accountable for the crimes they commit."
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