By Rochelle Olson
Copyright startribune
“Church pews,” Maldonado said. “This is not safety for our children. This is not protection for our communities. This is survival by chance and our children deserve better than this.”
Brittany Haeg tearfully detailed the injuries suffered by her 6-year-old, David. His spleen was lacerated. His left torso was singed by shrapnel and bullets grazed his head.
She wants legislators to follow other nations that banned assault rifles after mass shootings. “Our children continue to die because our laws treat guns as more important than human life,” Haeg said.
Brock Safe explained that his 10-year-old daughter Astoria survived but the friend beside her did not. “Astoria was literally praying, literally praying next to one of her best friends who was murdered in cold blood,” he said.
Hennepin Healthcare trauma surgeon Dr. Rachel Payne cried for several minutes as she described triaging every child brought into to the Minneapolis hospital that morning.
“I am haunted by the looks in their eyes, their looks of horror as if their sense of safety and childhood had just been snuffed out in seconds,” Payne said.
