FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2021
Contact: Kevin Hirano, media@apiavote.org, (202) 223-9170
APIAVOTE ISSUES STATEMENT ON INDIANAPOLIS SHOOTINGS
WASHINGTON, DC – In response to the mass shooting and murder of eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, IN, Executive Director Christine Chen of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) issues the following statement:
“On behalf of Asian Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote), I want express our grief at the senseless mass murder in Indianapolis caused by gun violence. We send our deepest condolences and support to all the families, friends, and communities of the Indianapolis victims who have lost loved ones.
With four of the victims being members of the Sikh community, we stand by our partners as we wait for a thorough investigation of this heinous act and encourage investigators to look into any possible hate bias involved.
However, we cannot ignore that there have been 3,433 shootings and 1,488 deaths from gun violence in the four weeks since the murders in Atlanta on March 16th according to the Gun Violence Archive. We can no longer allow time or changing news-cycles to diminish the will needed for bold, meaningful action on gun control.
We know from our 2020 Asian American Voter Survey, conducted in partnership with APIAData and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC, 81% of Asian Americans agree that we should have stricter gun control. We urge all our elected officials to take bold meaningful action to address this immediate and urgent threat to the safety of all Americans.”
###
About APIAVote: Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is a national nonpartisan organization that works with partners to mobilize Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in electoral and civic participation. APIAVote envisions a world that is inclusive, fair, and collaborative, and where AAPI communities are self-determined, empowered, and engaged. See our website for more information at https://www.apiavote.org/
