AUBURN, Calif. — More than 100 people gathered outside of the Auburn Courthouse Saturday morning for a March for Our Lives rally — one of several marches taking place across the U.S. It's a part of a nationwide movement to push for gun control in the wake of recent mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas.
Some who attended have been personally affected by gun violence including Mary Duplat with the organization Mom's Demand Action who lost her daughter to gun violence.
"As I'm standing here in Auburn and I look up at the courthouse, I have a memory of her at age 12 doing a fashion shoot (here) for back to school. Little did I know I would not have her in my life again when she was 19. I don't want that for anyone else which is why I'm here today," said Duplat.
March organizer Pat Ferguson with Indivisible Auburn emphasizes that the message is not to get rid of guns, but says semi-automatic rifles shouldn't fall into the hands of anyone.
"Get rid of the ones like in Uvalde decapitated poor little kids. I mean, when you have to use a DNA test or green Converse shoes to tell who was killed, that gun has no reason to be on the streets," said Ferguson.
For those who attended the march, their demands include background checks for all gun sales, the implementation of red flag laws, and calling on lawmakers to vote in favor of common-sense gun laws.
"I have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to violence and we need to put a stop to the age limit for assault rifles and keep them out of the hands of irresponsible people," said John Hammer who attended the rally.
33 mass shootings have occurred in the U.S. since the massacre at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on May 24, that's according to ABC News.
"I want to be safe when I go to my school. I don't want to have to choose between protecting my students and possibly leaving my children without a mother," said Sabrina Hammer, a Kindergarten teacher from Lodi who attended Saturday's rally. "I want the parents of my students to know that when they send them to me for the day, that they're gonna be safe, and unfortunately, I can't guarantee that at this time."
Hammer spent her birthday at the rally making her voice heard loud and clear and hopes to be part of the solution to create change.
"I think that we as United States citizens all need to stand up and make a change. This nonsense has to stop. Enough is enough," said Hammer.
March for Our Lives was created by students who survived the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018.
