July, 08 2016, 10:15am EDT
Statement of Violence Policy Center on Lethal Mass Shooting of Law Enforcement in Dallas
In the wake of the sniper attack last night at a peaceful protest rally in Dallas that left five law enforcement officers dead and seven wounded, as well as two private citizens, Violence Policy Center Executive Director Josh Sugarmann stated:
WASHINGTON
In the wake of the sniper attack last night at a peaceful protest rally in Dallas that left five law enforcement officers dead and seven wounded, as well as two private citizens, Violence Policy Center Executive Director Josh Sugarmann stated:
"For years, the Violence Policy Center has warned that because of the free-flow of militarized weaponry and lax gun laws that define our nation, it is all too easy for virtually anyone in America to literally arm and outfit their own army. Last night in Dallas we saw the inevitable result of this lethal mix: a coordinated attack against law enforcement that from amateur video shot at the scene apparently involved an assault rifle. Responsibility for this lethal assault falls directly at the feet of the gun industry, which designs, markets, and sells the military-bred weapons necessary for such attacks. They must finally be held accountable."
Recent VPC research reveals that in 2014, the most recent year for which information is available, one in five law enforcement officers slain in the line of duty were killed with an assault weapon (https://www.vpc.org/press/new-data-shows-one-in-five-law-enforcement-officers-slain-in-the-line-of-duty-felled-by-an-assault-weapon/).
The Violence Policy Center (VPC) works to stop gun death and injury through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration. Founded in 1988 by Executive Director Josh Sugarmann, a native of Newtown, Connecticut, the VPC informs the public about the impact of gun violence on their daily lives, exposes the profit-driven marketing and lobbying activities of the firearms industry and gun lobby, offers unique technical expertise to policymakers, organizations, and advocates on the federal, state, and local levels, and works for policy changes that save lives. The VPC has a long and proven record of policy successes on the federal, state, and local levels, leading the National Rifle Association to acknowledge us as "the most effective ... anti-gun rabble-rouser in Washington."
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