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Save lives in Washington: Ban high capacity magazines!

High capacity magazines have made possible devastating mass shootings over the past decade alone, from a music festival in Las Vegas (pictured above) to the Sandy Hook elementary school and Pulse nightclub in Orlando.

High capacity magazines allow mass shooters to kill as many people as possible without having to reload their weapon. Most recently, a shooter armed with a 100-round magazine was able to kill or injure 36 people in Dayton, Ohio in just 32 seconds.

Whether a state has a ban on high capacity magazines is the single biggest predictor of mass shooting rates in that state. A recent study found that 58% of mass shootings between 2009 — 2017 involved guns with high capacity magazines.

Banning high capacity magazines forces a shooter to stop to reload their weapon sooner, and these precious seconds mean life or death. In Parkland, Florida, the mass shooting only ended when the shooter’s weapon jammed as he attempted to reload. During Sandy Hook, 11 children were able to escape while the shooter was forced to reload.

Help pass this life-saving law in Washington!

⬇ Make Your Voice Heard ⬇

Dear Representative {contact_data~lastName},

As your constituent, I am asking you to support HB 2947 banning high capacity magazines.

I was deeply concerned to see a few lawmakers prevent the passage of HB 2240 on February 19th. I urge you to impress upon your colleagues that real lives are at stake: the safety of Washingtonians in our schools, streets and neighborhoods.

A study by CNN found that whether a state has a ban on high capacity magazines is the single greatest predictor of mass shooting rates in that state. High capacity magazines allow mass shooters to shoot as many people as possible without having to reload their weapon.

The precious seconds it takes for a shooter to reload can mean life or death: they provide an opportunity for law enforcement to intervene, or victims to escape. The mass shooting in Parkland, Florida only ended when the shooter’s weapon jammed upon his attempt to reload. During Sandy Hook, 11 children were able to escape while the shooter reloaded.

Our state has directly experienced this scenario: a would-be mass shooter at Seattle Pacific University was stopped when a student tackled the shooter while he was reloading his gun.

A poll from December 2019 showed that 65% of Washington voters support regulating or banning high capacity magazines. Organizations as diverse as the Washington State Medical Association, the Seattle Police Department and Faith Action Network all support this legislation.

I urge you to join them in supporting HB 2947 and encourage your colleagues to do the same. 
Thank you for taking action to save lives.

Sincerely,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}

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