Pictured, from left, are Jeanne Phipps and Erika Jagger.

WARSAW — Mothers, fathers and students alike attended the chapter launch meeting of Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense In America at the Warsaw Library on Monday, March 26.

According to the Moms Demand Action website, the organization was created to “…demand action from legislators, state and federal; companies; and educational institutions to establish common-sense gun reforms.”

Jeanne Phipps and Erika Jagger led most of the discussion at the meeting, informing those who attended about the organization and what it stands for.

Moms Demand Action originated in Zionsville in response to the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting. It is a non-partisan group that supports the 2nd Amendment, but believes common-sense restrictions can help lessen gun violence.

“This isn’t a red-blue issue,” Phipps said. “It is a human issue. There is gun violence everywhere.”

The site also says that about seven American children are shot and killed each day, with Indiana ranking high on the list of states where these incidents occur.

Phipps and Jagger both mentioned that background checks for gun ownership are a huge priority for the organization, discussing the “gun show loophole.”

Currently, private sales of guns such as internet auctions and garage sales fall into this.

Jagger also mentioned that the majority of gun-related deaths are suicides and that this issue should also be addressed. Indiana also ranks high in teens who consider suicide.

“To us, all gun deaths matter,” Jagger said.

She talked about the BeSMART program, a campaign that focuses on securing guns in homes, while also recognizing the risks of teen suicide.

Jagger discussed allowing people to own guns, but keeping them secure in the household.

“It’s not about ‘don’t own it,’ it’s about keeping it locked up,” Jagger said.

Both women asked the audience to consider contacting legislators on a daily basis so that their opinions are heard.

Toward the end of the meeting, they mentioned National Gun Violence Awareness Day on June 2 and discussed potentially hosting an event for that.

The next chapter meeting for Moms Demand Action will be on April 30 at a location to be determined.