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Jed Boal ReportingThere have been three violent shootings along the Wasatch Front in less than 24 hours. One woman is dead, two people are seriously wounded. Amid this volunteers renewed their committment to reducing gun violence in our communities.
Murder, terrible injuries, accidental shootings, suicide. The Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah believes the damage done by guns grows more common every year. It wants to plant a different future with fewer violent shootings.
Ron and Norma Molen lost their son 14 years ago, shot to death in an Indiana University dorm room as he jumped in to protect a woman from a stalker. They founded the Gun Violence Prevention Center 13 years ago.
Norma Molen, Gun Violence Prevention Center: "To start Utahns against gun violence was healing, to feel like we were doing something."
Each year they plant daffodils to commemorate their son and other victims of gun violence.
Ron Molen, Gun Violence Prevention Center: "It's one of the few places where we succeed. At the legislature it's a stone wall, they won't hear of any kind of gun control."
The bulbs give volunteers hope for renewal and reduced violence in the spring.
Within the last 24 hours a Utah mother was murdered in front of her children in Orem, a robbery victim was shot in the head in West Valley, and there was aa drive-by shooting in Salt Lake.
Mayor Dennis Nordfelt of West Valley City, a career peace officer, favors responsible gun ownership.
Dennis Nordfelt, Mayor of West Valley City: "My perception now is that there are fewer people percentagewise who own firearms and more acts of violence. Something is wrong, something has to be done."
He wants stricter laws for gun ownership. The violence prevention advocates urge all of us to take action and talk to our legislators, especially as the population swells.
Lorna Brown, Gun Valley Prevention Center Board Member: "Now is the time to act. We shouldn't wait until it gets worse; it certainly will get worse unless we do womething about it."
The Molens say they never paid attention to gun violence before their son was killed. Then it happened to them, they now noticed how often someone is shot here in Utah.
