Austinites hold vigil to remember Tucson shooting
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
Thousands took part in a candlelight vigil in Tucson, Arizona Sunday to pay tribute to victims of last year's mass shooting.
The shooting happened during a political meet and greet for U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
In all, six people were killed, and 13 were wounded. Giffords was shot in the head and is still in rehabilitation. At the event, she was able recite the pledge of allegiance.
During an earlier memorial, Giffords' rabbi spoke, saying the tragedy gave others in the community a chance to take note of the blessings in their own lives.
A candlelight vigil was held in Downtown Austin in connection with the Tucson shooting anniversary. The "Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence" organized more than 60 vigils all across the U.S.
The local organizer said there are more than 24,000 non-accidental gun deaths in Texas every year and she doesn't think that's a coincidence.
"It's very easy for people with dangerous histories, people who have been in prison, people who have felonies, people who have very serious mental health histories to get guns, and that needs to change," Cecil Hynds-Riddle said.
According to the National Institute of Justice, gun violence has fallen in the past decade but still accounts for nearly 70 percent of all homicides.