LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – Nearly a week after a teenager was shot and killed blocks away from the state capitol building, Democratic State Senator Sarah Anthony is calling-on fellow lawmakers to keep up the momentum on battling gun violence.

Anthony made the statement in the state senate Wednesday while backing a resolution recognizing June as National Gun Violence Awareness month.

“All I can think about was the loss of life and the potential that that young man would have contributed to our community, our state and our country,” said Anthony.

She reflected on 17-year-old Kylete Owens. The high school student was killed in a shooting that left 6 other people hurt near Lansing’s Rotary park on Memorial Day.

While tighter gun legislation like red flag laws and safe storage requirements have been in effect for more than three months, Anthony challenged fellow lawmakers to do more to address the roots of gun violence.

“We have continued to fight for common sense reforms such as background checks promoting safe storage establishing red flag laws, keeping fellow Michiganders safe. Yes, it is helping but it is not enough,” said the Lansing Democrat.

The push from Anthony and other Democrats is a concern for Ingham County Republican Party Co-Chair Norm Shinkle. He said the recently passed laws are eroding the constitutional right to bear arms.

“We have to enforce the laws on the books and not make new ones so people can’t defend themselves in our country,” said Shinkle.

Shinkle is no stranger to the halls of the state capital. He served as a state senator for 7 years in the 1980s. Shinkle is on the ballot as a Republican for the Ingham County Prosecutor position. In that position, he would be responsible for charging and prosecuting those accused of gun crimes

Asked how Michiganders could reduce gun violence, he responded, “We should find out the answer and how to prevent that from happening. I don’t think taking away people’s second amendment right is the answer.”

If he is elected prosecutor, he says he would enforce the state’s gun laws until, and if, a court ruled those laws were unconstitutional.

Supporters of tough gun control applaud Anthony’s message. Katie See with Greater Lansing Area Moms Demand Actions said the work requires community engagement programs like Lansing’s Advance Peace initiative. She also said a bill to further educate the public on the new laws is critical to spreading the word.

“The safe storage legislation is fantastic but it isn’t going to matter if citizens and parents don’t know what the law requires and what resources they need to safely storage guns,” See said.

Anthony was not available Thursday to share any specific legislation in mind for tackling gun crimes. The comments come a day before multiple statewide rallies including in Lansing, calling for an end to gun violence.

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