This undated photograph released by the Maine State Police shows weapons gathered from the home and vehicle of Timothy Courtois, of Biddeford, Maine, who was arrested Sunday, July 22, 2012 on charges of having a concealed weapon and speeding on the Maine Turnpike. Found in his car were an assault weapon, four handguns and several boxes of ammunition.  A search of his home revealed several additional weapons, including a machine gun, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Courtois told authorities he was on his way to Derry, N.H., to shoot a former employer. He also said he had attended the Batman movie the previous night. (AP Photo/Maine State Police)

DENVER  | Victims of the Aurora theater shootings and their families are hoping politicians this fall talk about gun violence, including at Wednesday’s presidential debate.

First, over the weekend a man wounded in the shootings at the Century Aurora 16  movie theater appeared in a television ad aimed at getting voters’ and candidates’ attention before the first presidential debate — and to shed some light on gun violence.

This undated photograph released by the Maine State Police shows weapons gathered from the home and vehicle of Timothy Courtois, of Biddeford, Maine, who was arrested Sunday, July 22, 2012 on charges of having a concealed weapon and speeding on the Maine Turnpike. Found in his car were an assault weapon, four handguns and several boxes of ammunition.  A search of his home revealed several additional weapons, including a machine gun, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Courtois told authorities he was on his way to Derry, N.H., to shoot a former employer. He also said he had attended the Batman movie the previous night. (AP Photo/Maine State Police)
This undated photograph released by the Maine State Police shows weapons gathered from the home and vehicle of Timothy Courtois, of Biddeford, Maine, who was arrested Sunday, July 22, 2012 on charges of having a concealed weapon and speeding on the Maine Turnpike. Found in his car were an assault weapon, four handguns and several boxes of ammunition.  A search of his home revealed several additional weapons, including a machine gun, and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Courtois told authorities he was on his way to Derry, N.H., to shoot a former employer. He also said he had attended the Batman movie the previous night. (AP Photo/Maine State Police)

Stephen Barton, a 22-year-old from Southbury, Conn., was among the 58 people injured in the July 20 attack in Aurora that also left 12 people dead.

In a 30-second spot that television viewers will see nationwide beginning Monday, Barton urges people to ask themselves during the debates which candidate has a plan to stop gun violence.

Filmed inside an empty movie theater, Barton talks about his experience during the shooting as photos of jagged gunshot wounds to his face and neck are shown.

“I was lucky. In the next four years, 48,000 Americans won’t be so lucky, because they’ll be murdered with guns in the next president’s term, enough to fill over 200 theaters,” Barton says in the ad.

On Monday, several family members of shooting victims sent a letter to PBS’ Jim Lehrer, who is moderating wednesday’s presidential debate, asking him to ask the candidates about gun control.

“How can we continue to ignore the issue of gun violence when so many precious lives have been taken from us? Everyday, our citizens are being killed while just trying to enjoy the simplicities of American life – attending a movie, going to church, grocery shopping or having a night out with friends after a hard day’s work,” the letter said.

 The families said they have signed on to an effort by the Brady Campaign to end Gun Violence aimed at making gun control a part of the political discussion.

“We encourage a national debate on this issue. You, Mr. Lehrer, can help all Americans by advancing the discussion. This is the time. This is the place,” the letter said.

Barton’s ad is part of the “Demand A Plan” campaign led by shooting survivors and Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan group of more than 725 mayors who advocate closing what they say are loopholes in laws designed to prevent felons, domestic violence offenders, the seriously mentally ill and other dangerous people from obtaining firearms.

“Especially now, given what’s happened in the past few months with guns and these mass shootings, I don’t think there is a better opportunity to talk about this,” Barton said in an interview with The Associated Press.

President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney, who will debate at the University of Denver, have been largely quiet about guns during the campaign, except when prodded by high-profile cases like the Aurora theater shooting.

Obama has supported a renewed ban on assault-type weapons, and he blames Congress for opposing such measures. The president also has signed laws allowing people to carry concealed weapons in national parks and in checked bags on Amtrak trains.

Meanwhile, Romney says he doesn’t think the country needs new gun laws, but tougher enforcement of those already on the books.

The key, he said, is to identify deranged or distressed people and then “keep them from carrying out terrible acts.”

Barton said it’s “extremely frustrating” that the candidates have shied away from gun policy, and he hopes the new ad will at least start a conversation about gun violence and how to stop it.

“At some point we have to demand a certain level of courage and independence among politicians. At some point you just have to expect more, even in an election season,” he said. “It’s really just a very basic request that both candidates start talking about this, that they take the situation seriously.”

Barton’s ad, which does not endorse either Obama or Romney, says it was paid for by United Against Illegal Guns Support Fund, the fundraising arm for Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Barton, who was bicycling across the country and staying with a friend in Aurora the night of the shooting, now does victim outreach and policy research for the mayoral group.

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Online: https://www.demandaplan.org/bartonad

3 replies on “Aurora theater shooting victims want gun control debated”

  2. People, please use your brain in this matter. Millions of people own millions of guns, but only one INDIVIDUAL committed this terrible crime. He could have used numerous methods which would have been more efficient. Ask, is it the arrow or the shooter?

  3. During debate, consider passing a law “outlawing murder by any means”. Would have same effect as past laws on gun control. FBI report for 2010 showed 12,996 murders in US, 8775 caused by firearms (split between handguns and long guns). In Colorado 117 total murders, 65 by firearms split 34 handguns, 31 other. This is down from 2009-2010 period. Now consider all the murders by auto, poison, and other means in Colorado and US, Is this not using a “sledge hammer to kill ants”?
    When will someone else walk into theatre and shoot up the place? With all the global economy problems, civil wars within all middle east countries, IRAN about to get nuclear weapons, no jobs for unskilled, skilled, highly educated, I do believe the next president will inherit enough problems, especially in overcoming those added in last four. One dumb shooter in the occupier groups last 2 years, could have started same scenes of killing, bombing and murder in our streets. And that could happen in future. With uncivility, and separation of young from adults, from seniors, we have real problems to attack. Hopefully in peace and co-operation between all parties.

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