There have been at least 5 mass shootings/attempted mass shootings in Colorado since Columbine - YWAM and New Life, Deer Creek, Aurora, Arapahoe, and Planned Parenthood.  This is completely unacceptable.  Virtually no other state in the nation has gone through one major gun tragedy after another after another after another like Colorado has.  Almost all of these shootings involved assault weapons and/or explosives, and every single one of them involved mental illness.

This is not just a Colorado problem, it is an American problem, as evidenced by the horrors that occurred in Newtown, San Bernardino, and Orlando.  But Colorado has arguably been the epicenter of this nationwide epidemic of mass violence time and time again.  This needs to stop, and it needs to stop now.

To start, the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines should be banned in the state of Colorado.  There is no reason for a civilian to have access to a 100 round drum magazine.  The gun show loophole needs to be closed, and all gun sales need to have universal background checks as a prerequisite.  In addition, more funding needs to be spent towards the treatment of mental health in Colorado.

The senseless murders of men, women, and children in Littleton, Aurora, Arvada, and Colorado Springs can not be in vain.  I want my friends, family, and future children to be able to go to school, see a movie, visit a nightclub, or attend church services without having to live in fear of being gunned down.