ANKENY, Iowa — Following the fatal school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, two advocates for safer gun laws are hoping changes start to be made.
Chloe Gayer, a soon-to-be grad in the Ankeny Community School District and national advisory board member with Students Demand Action, said she was sad in the minutes after learning of the shooting because innocent lives were taken.
"I spent the day grieving for children I never knew because I knew they would never get to have the day I'm having today."
The group Gayer is a part of is comprised of teens and young adults who have been fighting to end gun violence. Hearing about gun violence is a common theme she has known about growing up throughout her school years.
"The first memory I have of public school back in second grade was the Sandy Hook shooting," Gayer said. "That's the generation I've grown up in, and now the last memory I have is the same thing."
As someone who has been advocating for gun safety and changes for a while, Gayer wants to do more and make sure something like this doesn't happen again. And she hopes other community members want the same, by demanding their elected officials do more.
"People should always reach out to their legislators about the issues that matter to them," Gayer said. "That is a foundation of our democracy is that we have this ability to reach out to our legislation."
Art Roche, a board member for Iowans for Gun Safety, said this most recent shooting has him more devoted to his cause.
"I’m angry that we have let things get to the position in all the states,” he said.
Roche is putting his energy toward a project his group has been working on.
"Oppose what we're calling the reckless gun amendment," Roche said. "It's kind of a sham depiction of the United States Second Amendment to be enacted in Iowa …it would strip the Legislature's ability to pass any kind of common-sense gun laws."
And Gayer said though it's important to demand change from elected officials, it's important to remember the 21 people who lost their lives.
"We have to take time to honor these families and honor these children and these teachers."
Gayer said Students Demand Action is planning a nationwide walkout from schools on Thursday, May 26.