Gabrielle Giffords Tweets 'If Congress Won't Act, American Voters Must'

Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who survived an assassination attempt in 2011, reacted to Wednesday's school shooting massacre in a series of emotional tweets that called on politicians to do something to help stop gun violence.

A Democrat, Giffords represented Arizona in the House from 2007-2012. She has since become an advocate for gun control.

The accounts from today's school shooting in Parkland, Florida strike fear into all Americans. Is it safe to send our kids to school? Are we safe in our homes and communities?
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

But our fear cannot compare to what our innocent children felt as the gunshots rang out, bullets flew through the halls of their school, and their teachers and classmates were gunned down.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

Even in our grief, we must summon the courage to fight against this fear. We must find the courage to imagine a country where these massacres do not occur. Our leaders must find the courage to escape the confines of their politics & pursue the moral necessity of peace & safety.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

If I could offer protection to the 315 Americans who are shot every day, I would. But we can't wall ourselves from the threat of gun violence, nor will we find safety in the deadly cycle of arming ourselves against each other.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

Defenders of the status quo - advocates of the gun industry & the politicians paid to defend it - will tell you that events like these are virtual acts of nature, products of mental illness or bad parenting, beyond our ability to control. This couldn't be further from the truth.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

Every day we fail to take action, we chose this fate. We tolerate politicians who fail to acknowledge this crisis and vote against our safety. We let our gun violence epidemic continue day after deadly day.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

My heart is with the victims and survivors, and my gratitude is with Broward County's courageous first responders.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

The question now is if we will find the courage to pass the laws we need to protect our children, to stop dangerous people from accessing guns. And if Congress won't act, American voters must.
— Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) February 15, 2018

Police said a 19-year-old former student opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Seventeen people were killed and several others were injured.

The shooter was able to escape the school afterward but police captured and arrested him a short time later.

Gabrielle Giffords: 'If Congress Won't Act, American Voters Must'