Mother Affected By Gun Violence Supports Tougher Laws
By: Vanessa Herring
Updated: January 17, 2013
26 year old Ricky Bryant Jr. grew up in Rochester. He was a police
officer in Deklab County, Georgia when he was shot and killed while
working an of duty security job in January of 2008.
Officer Bryant's family comes together every year on the anniversary of his death to celebrate his life. He and other officer were shot and killed while working an off duty security job at an apartment complex near Atlanta, "nobody feels it like the mother and the father and the wife and the kids," said Ricky's mother Vicki Griffin, "you know day after day we have to live through it."
The man who shot them was a convicted felon and was not supposed to have a gun, "I don't think guns should be legalized at all especially people that have a felony," said Griffin, "the young man that shot Ricky, he had a felony, he should have been in jail."
Griffin says in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Connetictut and Webster she's glad to see New York State is taking a stand against gun violence, "I was happy, I know a lot of people aren't," explained Griffin, "but being what I've been through with my son I'm very happy, I wish it would have happened five years ago, maybe five years ago, Ricky would be here now."
Griffin's hope is that the new laws will prevent another mother from having to bury her child, "it doesn't bring my son back but maybe it can help the next person that ends up in a situation like my son be safe."
In October the man who shot Bryant and his partner was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Officer Bryant's family comes together every year on the anniversary of his death to celebrate his life. He and other officer were shot and killed while working an off duty security job at an apartment complex near Atlanta, "nobody feels it like the mother and the father and the wife and the kids," said Ricky's mother Vicki Griffin, "you know day after day we have to live through it."
The man who shot them was a convicted felon and was not supposed to have a gun, "I don't think guns should be legalized at all especially people that have a felony," said Griffin, "the young man that shot Ricky, he had a felony, he should have been in jail."
Griffin says in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Connetictut and Webster she's glad to see New York State is taking a stand against gun violence, "I was happy, I know a lot of people aren't," explained Griffin, "but being what I've been through with my son I'm very happy, I wish it would have happened five years ago, maybe five years ago, Ricky would be here now."
Griffin's hope is that the new laws will prevent another mother from having to bury her child, "it doesn't bring my son back but maybe it can help the next person that ends up in a situation like my son be safe."
In October the man who shot Bryant and his partner was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
