INDIANAPOLIS–On Monday, Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Eddie Melton (D-Gary) sent a letter to Governor Holcomb requesting a collaborative meeting about gun violence in his district and calling for a special session to repeal the permitless carry legislation which goes into effect July 1. His requests come after a Sunday afternoon shooting at a Gary graduation ceremony as well as calls for a special session from the entire Senate Democratic Caucus to address gun violence following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

Senator Melton released the following statement:

“The gun violence raging in my community and across our state has left too many families broken, and addressing this senseless violence remains one of my top priorities as a public servant. We’re at a point where families can’t even safely gather to celebrate something as momentous as their child graduating high school. Anywhere residents meet, they have to entertain the real fear of gun violence erupting. We cannot continue to live under the constant threat of gun violence. As we head into the summer months, I’m especially concerned about the safety of my district’s citizens and young people, and I’m working to be proactive.

“That’s why I sent a letter to the governor requesting a collaborative discussion with stakeholders in Gary about methods to prevent further gun violence. I also urged Governor Holcomb to call a special session to repeal permitless carry legislation with that aim of working proactively in mind. Permitless carry will only exacerbate the uptick in gun violence that we typically see during the summer months, and I want to get out ahead of that. It is my goal to work with the governor and his administration to explore funding opportunities for the expansion of summer enrichment programs, summer jobs for youth and the implementation of violence prevention initiatives for our community.

“I know there are steps we can take to save lives and decrease gun violence this summer, and I truly hope the governor is responsive to my letter and open to discussing real solutions for keeping Gary’s youth safe during a season that already experiences increased gun violence.”