Young Activists Rally for Tighter Gun Laws Ahead of Midterm Elections

Youth activists held a rally against gun violence in Columbus Circle on the eve of the anniversary of the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, which happened a year ago in Las Vegas.

A year ago, 58 people were killed in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history at a concert in Las Vegas. Young anti-gun violence activists marked the tragedy with a rally in New York City Sunday.

Luis Hernandez, 16, of the Bronx said it’s been a big disappointment to see no major changes in gun laws since these mass shootings.

"As a young person fighting for gun violence I’m super upset that we haven’t been successful in getting any drastic changes," he said.

Hernandez and others said they want to see universal background checks put in place and bump stocks banned nationwide. It’s illegal to use bump stocks in New York, and several other states and cities have banned or restricted their use. President Trump instructed the Justice Department in February to propose regulations that would make bump stocks illegal nationwide, following the mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fl.

Felix Tager, 17, organizer of the protest, said another goal is to educate people and encourage them to vote.

"We have 37 days up until the midterm elections," he said. "The goal is to basically encourage people to vote, to register and to be ready so that all times to the polls knowing that this is why they’re voting and this is who they’re voting for – people who actually care about them."