Gun-control advocates rally in 3 cities

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - People who want state and federal lawmakers to pass new gun control laws held simultaneous rallies Friday in Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Los Lunas.

The demonstrations come a day after a state House committee killed a bill to ban assault weapons here in New Mexico.

There was a lot going on at the Albuquerque rally near Juan Tabo NE and Eubank Boulevard: Signs, speakers, chanting.

The New Mexico chapter of the Organizing for Action staged the event to support gun-control proposals at the state and federal level.  Those include universal background checks for gun owners, a limit on the size of magazines and a ban on many military-style guns.

More than supporters of these measures turned out, though.

One rifle-toting man said he heard about the rally and wanted to come out, hear what was said and also make his opinion heard.

Participants said they're unhappy the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee tabled a bill Thursday that would have prohibited the sale or transfer of military-style guns in New Mexico after July 1.

One woman who survived the 2006 shooting at the Seattle Jewish Federation shooting currently lives in Albuquerque and decided she's been silent long enough.

"I don't normally do things like this, but especially since the tragedy in Connecticut I feel that it's important for those of us with a personal story share it," Tammy Kaiser told KRQE news 13.

The committee vote on that House bill was 3-2 with Democrat Eliseo Alcon of Milan saying he voted against the ban because he feels action will happen on a national scale.

A nationwide Day of Resistance rallies are planned Saturday by people against proposed gun-control reform measures.

At this point there are no rallies announced for New Mexico.