Newtown-based Sandy Hook Promise, an organization formed shortly after the 12/14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School to support those affected and support solutions to acts of violence, issued a statement July 2, following the group’s failed attempt to have families directly affected by 12/14 meet with Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey.

“Sandy Hook families were in New Jersey today to personally deliver to Governor Chris Christie a petition backed by over 55,000 supporters of A2006, legislation that would have reduced the permitted size of gun ammunition magazines in the state of New Jersey from 15 rounds down to 10. Immediately following the delivery, Governor Christie released a statement vetoing the bill as a ‘trivial approach to the sanctity of human life.’”

Nicole Hockley and Mark Barden, who both lost their first grade sons in the shooting at Sandy Hook School, were in New Jersey and released the following statement on behalf of Sandy Hook Promise:

“An hour after we visited Governor Christie’s office today to present over 55,000 petitions to support the magazine limit bill, during which we were told he was not available to meet us, Governor Christie issued a statement kicking the bill back to the legislature and removing the 10-round magazine limit.  His refusal to meet with us is a cowardly political move, but his statement accusing us of ‘grandstanding’ and furthering ‘empty rhetoric’ is a blow to the memories of our children. Limiting the number of bullets loaded into a gun is not ‘trivial.’ We know that smaller magazines would have saved more lives at Sandy Hook Elementary, possibly even the lives of our own children. If Governor Christie truly wants to make meaningful reform, then focusing on what actually works would include the mental health reforms he proposes plus the limitation on high capacity magazines. That’s just common sense.  If Governor Christie wishes to dodge a true veto of this bill, then we respectfully ask that he does that by meeting with us and telling us to our faces that it wouldn’t have protected our own children and won’t save the lives of New Jersey’s children. We doubt he has the courage to face us.”