ATLANTA — The parents of a teenager killed in the 2018 Parkland school massacre brought their message against gun violence to Atlanta today.
It’s the latest stop on a nationwide bus tour organized by the parents of Joaquin Oliver.
The tour will travel to more than 20 cities impacted by mass shootings.
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Joaquin was one of the 17 victims killed in the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
“The day that I lost my son, I lost my best friend,” Joaquin’s father Manny Oliver said. “We cannot lie to ourselves. At the end of the day, we are killing each other.”
Manuel says since his son’s death he’s been demanding action from lawmakers, begging for stricter gun laws and more accountability for gun owners.
“I think people should prioritize this as a health issue and find solutions,” Manuel said.
But he claims his words have fallen on deaf ears.
So now he’s prepared to bring his message on the road.
“I think our main goal is regulations for an industry that has not been regulated in decades,” he said.
Manuel calls this a “revolution on wheels.”
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He plans to document the entire journey.
In fact, he and his wife shared video showing the moment they rolled into Atlanta early Wednesday morning.
“Enough of debating. This is not about you and your right to own a gun or right to own an AR-15 or a permitless carry, it’s about mothers losing their kids,” Manuel said.
The tour started a couple of days ago and Manuel said they are already adding more cities.
When it comes to violence in Atlanta, data from Atlanta Police Department’s weekly crime report show it is down this year compared to last year.
Homicides dropped 32 percent, assaults are down 23 percent, and robberies are down 8 percent.
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