As residents from across Chicagoland gathered to celebrate our nation's birthday, they were victimized by another instance of our nation's gun violence epidemic. 

During a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois, a man with a troubled and violent past killed seven people and injured dozens more, whose ages ranged from 8 to 85 years old. The flags were there — they were ignored and this person was allowed to purchase the assault rifle that took the lives of innocent people.

This horrific event is the 309th mass shooting our nation has witnessed in less than 200 days. And communities across Illinois — from Chicago to Rockford to East St. Louis — continue to experience what feels like everyday gun violence. Although recent federal legislation was a necessary first step in the right direction, it is simply not enough. We cannot stand by as senseless gun violence continues to plague our state and our country.

"Our founders carried muskets, not assault weapons, and I don't think a single one of them would have said that you have a constitutional right to an assault weapon with a high-capacity magazine," said Governor Pritzker in the hours following the tragedy. We couldn't agree more, and we must turn our pain into action.

Sign this petition to stand with victims and survivors of gun violence — in Highland Park and beyond — and to urge immediate action here in Illinois to keep our children, families and communities safe from gun violence.