Moms Demand Action advocating for gun safety in Collier County

A group of moms is demanding change when it comes to federal gun laws. They are pushing for new federal gun laws and gun safety in Collier County.

“Your data is so wrong it’s unbelievable,” said a man in a confrontation with members of Southwest Florida Moms Demand Action.

It was a tense moment when two men confronted four women with Moms Demand Action outside the Collier commission chambers on Tuesday.

One man did not like the assertion that Collier County needs stronger background checks on guns.

“It’s frustrating because there’s a lot of misinformation out there,” said Susan Cone, events lead with Southwest Florida Moms Demand Action.

Cone said she knows the facts. Gun violence is a uniquely American problem that can be solved. “All of the eight million of us across the country that are involved in this gun violence movement finally reached a point where enough with enough that point was different for many people.”

For Kim Craig, a local group lead with Southwest Florida Moms Demand Action, it was the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado.

“I took my kids when they were six and eight to the memorial, and there was 12 crosses. And at that moment, when I moved here in 2014 I decided I can’t just be that person that says isn’t it a shame, isn’t it sad,” said Craig.

When she moved here, Craig said she got involved with Southwest Florida Moms Demand Action, and she’s still fighting eight years later.

“I have the time, I have the energy, and I’ve always had the motivation. And I just want to be part of the solution,” said Craig.

Craig says Collier commissioners can also be part of the solution by putting gun safety messaging in government buildings, enacting stronger background checks and taking advantage of grants to make the community safer.

“We want to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. We want to save lives,” Craig said.

More and more people want to help their cause. Southwest Florida Moms Demand Action had 400 new volunteers sign up since 21 people were killed in the Uvalde school shooting in late May.