Security guard injured by gunfire at Family Research Council in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.  – A shooter opened fire on a security guard at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the Family Research Council this morning.  Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy issued the following statement in response:

We don’t yet know the details of today’s shooting at the headquarters of the Family Research Council, but our thoughts and prayers are with the injured security guard and his colleagues at FRC.  What we do know is that these all too frequent shootings must stop.  Whatever our disagreements, be they substantive policy arguments, misguided bigotry, or petty misunderstandings, guns cannot be the answer.  Rather than disrespecting people because they hold ideas with which we disagree and turning on them with violence, we must find our way back to civility.  Otherwise, as a nation, we will lose our democracy and our moral compass.

Interfaith Alliance celebrates religious freedom by championing individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism. Founded in 1994, Interfaith Alliance brings together members from 75 faith traditions as well as those without a faith tradition to protect faith and freedom. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.