My mother was killed by gun violence in September 2019.
Over the course of 15+ years, she tried many times to leave her partner.
Her lifelong struggles with mental illness and addiction kept her from being away from him for any length of time.
He tormented her for years with threats of violence.
He sent her text messages and voicemails telling her to kill herself.
He told her that she would be happier and pain-free if she were gone.
He threatened her adult children and their places of employment.
Police reports were made many times, but she was always too scared to press charges.
Orders of protection were nothing more than unenforceable pieces of paper.
She ended up losing her home, bankrupt and living in public housing.
She felt she had no other choice but to return to him repeatedly, as he had isolated her from much of her family.
Her partner was a convicted felon for attempted murder from years prior.
He never should have been able to get a gun. No background check was run.
This country needs to stop putting money into the coffers of the NRA and instead put it into mental health treatment and awareness.
Lives over guns.