GOFRO PRESIDENT PAUL KEMP SHARES HIS THOUGHTS ON THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOOTINGS AT THE CLACKAMAS TOWN CENTER THAT LED TO THE DEATHS OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

By Letters to the editor | The Oregonian

In 2012, I received a call that has become far too common in our country – an active shooter had fatally shot a loved one. It was a time of hopelessness and despair.

But in the decade since the Clackamas Town Center shooting that injured multiple people and killed two – Cindy Yuille and my brother-in-law Steve Forsyth – we have made terrific progress in the fight against gun violence. However, as we recently saw in Colorado, Texas and every day around our nation, tremendous work still needs to be done.

Just this year, Oregon has taken vital steps to prevent another tragedy. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, called for investing millions more for violence intervention programs. State lawmakers passed legislation funding violence intervention programs and directed the state to seek federal approval for Medicaid to cover some intervention services. And voters sent a message with their approval of Measure 114, requiring a permit for all gun purchases and prohibiting sales of high-capacity magazines.

Oregon has been leading the fight against gun violence by expanding background checks and passing secure storage laws. However, there’s more to do. Our lawmakers need to pass measures that regulate ghost guns to ensure that firearms cannot be sold without serial numbers and a background check. We should be using our common-sense majority to prevent incidents like the ones that took two precious lives in Clackamas.

As I look at the younger members of my family, I see kids afraid to go back to school, a generation scared by active shooter drills and grief for a family member tragically taken away. A decade after losing Steven, I hope we don’t sit around until the next tragedy strikes before acting; instead, let’s act proactively to ensure the safety of Oregonians in every corner of our great state.

Paul Kemp, Happy Valley