Newtown, Conn. - Former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords visited the site of the massacre at Newtown, offering her consolation to families of the victims. Giffords herself was the victim of violence when a gunman shot her and over a dozen others at a local event in 2011.
USA Today reports that Newtown selectman Pat Llodra talked withi Giffords about gun control legislation, greater mental health issues awareness, as well as the role of society in desensitizing people to violence:
"Our horrible event of Dec. 14 has some of those same tragic elements as experienced in the Tucson event that so harmed Ms. Giffords and took the lives of innocent citizens," Llodra said.
"I believe that our community will see Ms. Giffords as an ally in the efforts to draw attention to gun control legislation," Llodra said. "I welcome that elevated attention and hope that this visit adds more power to the voice needed to be heard at government levels."
The Sandy Hook school massacre in Newtown brought the nation together in grieving over the deaths of the young victims, as well as the teachers who in many cases valiantly tried to protect them. Alleged gunman Adam Lanza has been ordered to undergo mental evaluation by a court.
Both the Giffords shooting and the Sandy Hook massacre have brought gun control legislation back to the forefront of public consciousness. President Obama was deeply pained by the tragedy, and vowed recently to make gun control a top priority in this new year.
