'Enough thoughts and prayers, it’s action that we need:' Victims ask lawmakers for action at gun violence summit

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Advocates for more strict gun laws gathered at the Emergency Gun Violence Summit to address state and local leaders on Thursday, Oct. 10. 

The nonprofit organizations Forward Latino and the 80 Percent Coalition held the event at the Baird Center for its second year. 

Victims and survivors of gun violence were present for panel discussions sharing how they believe people can lower gun violence in their communities. Some referenced previous CDC data that stated firearms surpassed car accidents as the top killer among children and teens. 

“It has become the largest cause of death in this country," said Nick Matuszewski, of the Wisconsin Anti Violence Effort. “Mass shooting, after mass shooting, after mass shooting, and no response from Congress. The state Legislature in Wisconsin isn’t making any efforts to protect the people.”

One mother of a Uvalde school shooting victim spoke about her pain and loss after the 2022 attack at her 10-year-old's school. 

“I don’t want her name tied to just the tragedy, but I want her tied to meaningful change," Kimberly Rubio, the mother, said. “Enough thoughts and prayers, it’s action that we need.”

Representatives with statewide movements fighting for public safety measures related to guns were also present. 

“This is not right for these children to be going through this," said Angela McCully, of Moms Demand Action. “I live in Mt. Horeb, and we actually had a shooter incident last year, it was across the street from my house."

“Our generation is completely f-ed up," said Stella Osiedacz, of Students Demand Action. The 15-year-old high school student said she attended the summit to share how current students feel about what she calls a lack of support from federal and local leaders to address issues of gun violence.

“We are choosing a world with gun violence, and we can choose a world without gun violence," Osiedacz said. “It just hurts my heart to know that any one of my friends could be somebody I lose to gun violence.”

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and other Democrats have advocated for more gun control measures, such as universal background checks and red flag laws to allow judges to temporarily take away guns from people who pose a threat to themselves or others.

Both measures have been rejected by Republican leaders. In 2022, Republicans in the state Assembly passed a series of bills to expand gun laws in the Badger State, including a proposal to allow some high school students and parents to have firearms on school property. Some supporters believed more residents should be able to carry a gun legally to protect themselves with gun violence on the rise.