North Shore moms heading to D.C. next week to lobby Congress for assault weapons ban after Highland Park massacre
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A growing group of people from the North Shore are planning to travel to Washington, D.C., next week to demand a federal ban on assault weapons in the wake of Monday's deadly mass shooting in Highland Park.
Organizers plan to march around the Capitol on Wednesday. Some of the marchers will be North Shore moms who want change. Some of them are people who were at the July 4th parade In Highland Park, and had to run to safety when a gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, killing seven and wounding dozens more.
Lara Chaimson and her family drive by the intersection where the shooting happened every day, and now she says it will never the same.
"It's surreal," Chaimson said.
She and her husband heard the gunshots during the parade, grabbed their two young daughters, and ran for safety.
"There's no reason that there should be a feeling danger looming at any event that should be safe for a family," she said.
Organizers of the march say Chaimson is just one of about 270 people from around the country planning to attend.
Some of the survivors of the shooting are still worried about being in large crowds. So, rather than marching, they hope to meet with lawmakers Tuesday.
Kitty Brandtner is a mom from Winnetka who is planning the efforts. She's been calling lobbyists and lawmakers, trying to set up meetings.
"There's a group of hundreds of mobilized people who are sick and tired of being told, we can't do anything, we can't impact change. So were gonna make it happen," she said.
Chaimson says she's grateful her family was far enough from the shooter that they didn't have to see any bloodshed, but she'll never forget the sound of the shots, and the terror that followed.
"We feel here in our community, as moms, that we want to mobilize together right now," Chaimson said.
Brandtner says, for those who can't make it to D.C., there's also a local march being planned.