TAMPA, FLA. — Dozens showed up at Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa wearing orange to honor people who have died from gun violence.
Tampa Police Chief Mary O'Connor delivered a proclamation declaring June 3 as National Gun Violence Awareness Day in Tampa.
Jeannie Robinson attended Friday night's event. She lost her nephew and his best friend to gun violence in Indiana in 2020.
"The gunman came claiming that they took a gun from him and shot them both execution-style," Robinson said. "I never thought I'd be carrying this poster. When it hits home, it hits hard."
Robinson carried a large poster with her nephew's pictures on it. Several others shared similar pain.
Patricia Brown lost her son in 2020 after he was shot and killed in Tampa.
"He was just coming home from work and walking to the store and guys coming through the neighborhood shooting at someone else and he got caught in the crossfire, got shot and killed," Brown said.
Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren also attended Friday's event. He said he supports universal background checks and a ban on assault rifles.
"Military assault weapons have been used in so many mass shootings," Warren said. "These are weapons designed for the battlefield, instruments of war that have no place in a civilized society." "One of the easiest solutions is universal background checks. We have a Swiss cheese network of laws right now that doesn't even have background checks for every gun sale in the country."
In the City of Tampa, there have been 20 deadly shootings so far this year.
"People in Tampa and around the country are coming together today with a simple message: There's more we can do to end gun violence,” Chief O’Connor said. “We cannot accept this as a problem without solutions. There are things we can do, including risk protection orders, mental health counseling and intervention, and continued community engagement. Our common goal is a safer community for everyone.”
For more information on Wear Orange initiative, click here.