SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The Latest on a student rally and forum at the New Mexico Statehouse about gun violence (all times local):
11:30 a.m.
Hundreds of New Mexico students are venting their frustrations and concerns about gun violence and safety at public schools in a public forum and rally at the state Capitol.
High school students peppered state lawmakers, law enforcement officials and local school representatives Friday with questions about how to ensure classroom safety in a wake of a December shooting at Aztec High School that killed two students.
Student organizers stressed that the event was focused on gun-safety and not necessarily stricter gun control laws.
Democratic House speaker Brian Egolf urged students to register to vote if they turn 18 before November general elections, highlighting the veto of a 2017 bill aimed at limiting gun access for people with permanent protective orders for domestic violence incidents. Republican lawmakers were invited but did not attend the forum.
Outside the building, the Beatles song “Don’t Let Me Down” blared from a stage set up for student speeches and performances.
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7:30 a.m.
Students in northern New Mexico plan to rally at the state Capitol amid a new wave of school walkouts across the country in response to gun violence.
Brendon Baca of the Santa Fe Public Schools says students plan to gather Friday at the Statehouse for a series of events exploring solutions to gun violence.
A panel of state lawmakers and public safety officials is gathering to answer questions from students about new approaches to school safety. A voter registration drive, letter-writing campaigns to lawmakers and art projects are planned on the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine mass shooting.
New Mexico was shaken by a December shooting at Aztec High School that killed two students. An August 2017 shooting at a public library in Clovis left two dead and four wounded.
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