Moms Demand Action rally held at Florida Capitol

February 6, 2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) -- Wednesday afternoon, a sea of red shirts flooded the courtyard of the Florida Capitol. All were worn by parents with different stories, standing in support of one cause: gun control.

The chants echoed off the walls. The group Moms Demand Action chanted in support of stricter background checks and in opposition of arming teachers.

Next to the crowd was a small display that read “Moments that survive.” On that board were the names and pictures of people killed at the hands of gun violence. Like Latasha Hobb’s son.

"He was shot while he was walking outside. I was driving to pick him up two days after his 18th birthday," Hobb said.

Cindy Martin shared a similar story, saying, “He was standing outside of my house. He robbed him and then he killed him."

Martin said she was inside her home when her son was gunned down in the front yard.

Wednesday, it wasn’t just moms of victims pushing for change. Natalia Santana-Pollard said her eight-year-old daughter told her she was scared to go to school. Natalia said rallying with Moms Demand Action is one way she can help change that.

"Instead of play at recess (my daughter) had to lie down on the floor, and to pretend that they were sleep so that if someone came with a gun they wouldn't die," Santana-Pollard said.

This year's message to lawmakers included protecting laws signed last year following the mass shooting in Parkland, and tougher background checks.

"We want to make it harder for criminals, felons and people with mental illness to get guns," Martin said.

Her son was killed in 2012 and Latasha's son was killed just two years ago. They both say the fight is painful but has purpose.

"We might not be able to stop the violence, but we can reduce it," Cindy said.

Their hope is to reduce the possibility of another family living through the effects of gun violence the way they, and so many others, have.