The parents of a Parkland shooting victim joined CNN for an on-set interview on Wednesday to discuss their gun reform efforts and the tragic attack on its six-year anniversary.
But the interview pivoted at the last minute to focus on a shooting that occurred earlier that day.
At least one person was killed and several others injured in a shooting in Kansas Cityon Wednesday during a parade in celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs’ recent Super Bowl win.
Manuel Oliver, the father of Parkland victim Joaquin Oliver, told CNN on Wednesday that he’s “not surprised at all” by news of the shooting.
“So far I can tell you two things: There’s a gun and there’s people that were shot,” he said. “That should be enough for us to be offended and to start working on a solution.”
Manuel Oliver and his wife, Patricia, have been a part of efforts to push for gun reform after their son, Joaquin, and 16 others were killed in the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The parents founded a gun violence prevention organization called Change the Ref, which sponsors the March for Our Lives website, and have participated in protests on Capitol Hill.
Most recently, the Olivers collaborated with other Parkland victims’ families to create messages in the Parkland victims’ voices using artificial intelligence, which were then sent to lawmakers who support the National Rifle Association and oppose stricter gun laws.
The voice messages were played to staffers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, with the intention of striking an emotional cord and sending the message that gun reform is needed in the U.S., Patricia Oliver explained to CNN.
While gun violence has been declining in some parts of the country, according to The New York Times, it still remains a pressing issue in the U.S. In 2023, over 40,000 people died from gun violence in the U.S., according to the Gun Violence Archive. Over 600 mass shootings occurred last year, including one of the deadliest in decades.
