Close X
Saturday, November 23, 2024
ADVT 
National

Families Of Those Shot In Toronto Attack Seek Ban On Handguns, Assault Rifles

The Canadian Press, 22 Feb, 2019 09:49 PM
  • Families Of Those Shot In Toronto Attack Seek Ban On Handguns, Assault Rifles

TORONTO — Seven months after a gunman went on a shooting rampage in Toronto's Greektown, survivors and victims' loved ones called on Ottawa to ban private ownership of handguns and assault rifles across the country.


The group that gathered Friday at a concert venue just blocks away from where last summer's violence took place read an open letter sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging him to change gun laws to help prevent similar attacks in the future.


"What happened to us was a tragedy, and we think we could have had better odds had attitudes towards handgun ownership been different before that night," said Noor Samiei, who was celebrating her 18th birthday with friends on the city's bustling Danforth Avenue when the attack took place.


"What we are asking for is part of a solution to a complex problem, but that does not excuse us from acting."


Samiei's friend, 18-year-old Reese Fallon, and 10-year-old Julianna Kozis were killed in the shooting. Thirteen others were wounded.


"We miss Reese and we miss Julianna. We have to live with that," Samiei said. "But we don't have to live with the laws that could be changed to help prevent this from happening again."


Fallon's 15-year-old sister, who was among those who signed the letter to Trudeau, said her life was forever changed on the night of the shooting.


"No family should ever have to go through what my family and the Kozises do: finding out your 18-year-old sister is lying dead on the Danforth while she was innocently minding her own business out for her best friend's birthday dinner, or rushing your 10-year-old child to Sick Kids with bullet wounds and finding out she's not going to make it," Quinn Fallon said.


The shooter, 29-year-old Faisal Hussain, was found dead nearby shortly after the rampage with what authorities said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His parents issued a statement a day after the shooting outlining their son's battle with depression and psychosis and denouncing his "horrific" actions.


The letter sent to Trudeau on Friday calls on the federal government to take concrete action on gun control.


"Having taken some seven months to grieve and consider what we should do to make a difference, we are urging that Canada follow the lead of other like-minded countries such as the UK, Japan and Australia and impose a ban on the private ownership of handguns and military style assault rifles," it reads.


"We acknowledge that this action is not the only step that needs to be taken to stem gun violence; however, we believe it will be impactful and effective as the results in other countries have shown."


The father of a young woman injured in the Greektown Shooting urged politicians to heed the group's call.


"We want our politicians, our elected officials at all levels of government to support what we're asking for today," said Ken Price. "We're reaching out to other Canadians to borrow our grief, if that's the right word to say. This could be you, we don't want this to be you."


A gun control law, Bill C-71, is making its way through the Senate.


It includes changes to the Firearms Act and Criminal Code. Among its amendments are considering events more than five years in the past when judging applicants' eligibility for gun licences and requiring a buyer's licence be verified in the sale of non-restricted firearms.


It does not include an outright ban on private ownership, and Organized Crime Reduction Minister Bill Blair is expected to make further recommendations on gun control in the coming weeks after holding consultations across the country.


A spokesperson for Blair did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

MORE National ARTICLES

Missing Snowshoer Found Dead In Avalanche Debris On Vancouver's North Shore

Missing Snowshoer Found Dead In Avalanche Debris On Vancouver's North Shore
VANCOUVER — Searchers discovered the body of a missing snowshoer in avalanche debris on Vancouver's North Shore on Wednesday, two days after he was swept away.    

Missing Snowshoer Found Dead In Avalanche Debris On Vancouver's North Shore

Vancouver Police Release 2018 Crime Data: Theft From Vehicles Continues To Drive Property Crime Rate

Vancouver Police Release 2018 Crime Data: Theft From Vehicles Continues To Drive Property Crime Rate
Vancouver Police today released year-end crime statistics for 2018 that show a decrease in violent crime in Vancouver, but an increase in property crime, driven mostly by theft from motor vehicles.    

Vancouver Police Release 2018 Crime Data: Theft From Vehicles Continues To Drive Property Crime Rate

Combination Housing, Withdrawal Management Centre Gets Rezoning Nod In Vancouver

Combination Housing, Withdrawal Management Centre Gets Rezoning Nod In Vancouver
VANCOUVER — City councillors in Vancouver have approved rezoning for what is described as a state-of-the-art social housing and withdrawal management centre.

Combination Housing, Withdrawal Management Centre Gets Rezoning Nod In Vancouver

Budget Carrier Flair Airlines Calls Abrupt Halt To New Routes To Florida

Flair Airlines has suspended several flight routes to Florida and California just months after expanding service to U.S. destinations.  

Budget Carrier Flair Airlines Calls Abrupt Halt To New Routes To Florida

Australian Woman Killed In Avalanche While Snowboarding In Whistler, B.C.

Australian Woman Killed In Avalanche While Snowboarding In Whistler, B.C.
WHISTLER, B.C. — A 42-year-old woman from Australia has been killed in an avalanche while snowboarding in Whistler, B.C.

Australian Woman Killed In Avalanche While Snowboarding In Whistler, B.C.

B.C. Government Reverses Course On Coastal Ferry Cuts, Holds Fares

B.C. Government Reverses Course On Coastal Ferry Cuts, Holds Fares
The British Columbia government has announced the restoration of 10 ferry routes that were chopped in a cost-saving measure in 2014.

B.C. Government Reverses Course On Coastal Ferry Cuts, Holds Fares

PrevNext