Houston, Tx
Memorial at Discovery Green honors victims of gun violence; advocates calling for change
The Giffords Basis, a non-profit group based by a former congresswoman who was shot at a neighborhood occasion, spearheaded the undertaking.
HOUSTON — Houston’s Discovery Inexperienced is now dwelling to a memorial that honors the lives misplaced to gun violence in Texas.
The Giffords Basis, a non-profit group aimed to finish gun violence, spearheaded the undertaking.
The inspiration was based by former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot at a neighborhood occasion in Tucson in 2011.
Her company positioned 4,000 vases within the park, every representing a Texan who misplaced their life to gun violence in 2020.
Gun violence memorial to be unveiled in Discovery Inexperienced Park
It’s a narrative, Josefine Cannon by no means thought she’d be telling.
“I used to be a type of individuals who thought it will not occur to us, nonetheless, it did occur to us. Gun violence touches numerous lives every single day,” she mentioned.
Cannon’s son, Sean, was shot and killed in October 2013 in San Antonio. She says his case continues to be unsolved.
“He died from a number of gunshot wounds,” Cannon mentioned. “He was solely 29 years previous.”
She says it’s a actuality her household nonetheless struggles with.
“We miss him dearly each second of every single day,” Cannon mentioned.
The memorial is a visible illustration of the households throughout Texas residing by means of that very same ache.
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Cannon has since turn out to be a gun violence advocate.
Thursday, she stood aspect by aspect with different stakeholders calling for change.
“Final yr there have been greater than 640 murders countywide. It hasn’t been that top because the Nineteen Eighties, Nineties,” mentioned Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg.
“Common background checks, violence intervention programming, we have to go these measures into legislation,” mentioned Giffords Senior Advisor Ryan Busse.
Cannon says her hope is that the memorial places into perspective the grief a gun falling into the improper palms could cause.
“To our communities, please cease mindless gun violence,” she mentioned whipping tears.
The memorial might be accessible for viewing at Discovery Inexperienced by means of 12 p.m. Friday.
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