'It's too late for 58 people:' Seattle man pens letter to Congress urging action on gun control legislation



WASHINGTON DC -- A Seattle man says he's sick and tired of "thoughts and prayers" and wants lawmakers to take action against gun violence.

Zach Elmore's sister, Alicia Johnston, was shot in the back during the mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas one month again today.

58 people were killed.

Elmore says his sister was one of the luckier ones.

She and 500+ others were injured but survived.

For Elmore, it hit too close to home which is why days after the shooting he wrote a letter to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal.

On Wednesday, the representative read that letter aloud to Congress.

"The problem with shootings around the country is that unless you know someone directly affected, it's easy to say 'what a tragedy!' and move on with your daily life. It's not so easy when you`re getting ready for bed and one of your sisters calls inconsolably crying to tell you that another one of your sisters has been shot," Jayapal read.



Elmore is in D.C and was in the crowd as his letter was read. Q13 News spoke with him on the phone Wednesday.

He said he's never done anything like this before, but this is too important.

"I'm tired of being told we can't talk about these things, 'it's too soon,' Elmore said. "Frankly, to that, I say, 'it's too late. It's too late for 58 people in Las Vegas.'"

Legislation that would ban bump stocks has stalled. That's the tool the shooter used in Vegas to make a semi-automatic weapon fire like an automatic weapon.

Elmore hopes his letter will inspire action.