My 15-year-old son was shot just days after his birthday. The man responsible played a deadly game, mixing hollow point and regular ammunition. Despite the lethal outcome, he was charged only with assault 1st degree, a crime associated with an average sentence of approximately 10 years in Kentucky. 

This is a tragedy that no parent or family should endure. Kentucky's gun laws and their associated penalties are insufficient and do not adequately deter potential offenders. Instead they leave families like mine devastated and aching for justice. According to a report conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2019, firearms were used in 73.7% of the nation’s murders. It is abundantly clear that gun-related criminal activities are commonplace in the United States.

It is time for a change. We call on lawmakers in the state of Kentucky to modernize and fortify the criminal justice system's approach to crimes involving firearms. We seek the introduction of stricter penalties for crimes involving guns, which we believe will better reflect the seriousness of these offenses, and hopefully reduce the likelihood of similar incidents happening in the future.

Please, sign this petition. Let's work together to bring about justice for victims and families affected by gun violence. It is time to make a change for stricter gun law penalties today.