Press Release

GRANDMOTHERS FOR GUN RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT ON MASS SHOOTING AT SEATTLE CENTER

 

SEATTLE, WA, July 27 2026 — Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on responsible gun ownership, today issued the following statement on the mass shooting at Seattle Center yesterday during the Bite of Seattle Food Festival:

“The unforgivable shooting at Seattle Center shreds us. Such shootings are entirely preventable and now stand as an unacceptable reality in our communities. Today, Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility embraces the families and friends of the three victims who lost their lives and the four injured. But let us remember: we are all injured. Life changes. But we are neither helpless nor hopeless.

This tragedy is not an isolated horror, it is a symptom of an epidemic. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens in the United States. Nationwide, guns took nearly 45,000 American lives in 2024 alone, and firearm homicides among young people have increased more than 33 percent in recent years.

These are not statistics: They are grandchildren, parents, siblings, and friends. Neighbors. They are the 19-year-old, the 44-year-old, and the 56-year-old who were murdered this weekend at the Bite of Seattle, and the four others, including a toddler, who are still recovering from their wounds.

Grandmothers asks people to find their way to engage as we work together for gun safety and responsibility. It is neither rocket science nor a burden. It is our shared obligation.”

A Generation in Action: About Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility Grandmothers for Gun Responsibility is a Seattle-based grassroots, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization with more than 650 members in 43 states dedicated to preventing gun violence and promoting responsible gun ownership to protect children, families, and communities. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, the organization works with members nationwide to advance common-sense solutions that reduce access to firearms by children and teens.

Media Contact: Margaret Heldring mheldring@gmail.com
(202) 431-3480 (cell)