Mayors Against Illegal Guns Apologizes For Calling Boston Bombing Suspect Victim Of Gun Violence
CONCORD, N.H. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Mayors Against Illegal Guns is apologizing for including the name of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects on a list of gun violence victims that was read aloud at a New Hampshire event Wednesday.
The event is part of the gun-control group's 25-state "No More Names" tour, which is part of its campaign to build support for legislation to expand background checks for gun buyers. Such legislation failed in the Senate.
As part of the event, participants read the names of more than 6,000 Americans killed with guns since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December.
One of the names was Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who died in an exchange of gunfire with police days after the April 15 bombings in Boston.
According to a statement from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the group was relying on a list from Slate.com that compiled data on the number of gun deaths since the December shooting in Newtown "and his name was on the list," CBS News reported.
"He was absolutely not a victim, his name should have been deleted before the list was provided to a family member for reading and his name should never have been read," the statement said. "It was a mistake, it should not have happened and we sincerely apologize."
Founded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has been relentless in its campaign to get stronger gun laws passed. In its statement, the group reiterated the purpose of the "No More Names" tour as a way to honor people who have been impacted by gun violence, CBS News reported.
"Survivors of gun violence, Americans who have lost family members to guns and volunteers are reading the names of victims since the Newtown tragedy to show the very real and personal cost of gun violence and to help prevent more names from being added to a list that tragically grows longer each day," the statement said.
The "No More Names" tour was launched on the sixth month anniversary of the Newtown shootings.
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