PARKLAND, FLA. (WSVN) - The family of Joaquin Oliver, who lost his life in the Parkland school shooting, is hitting the road to demand action on gun violence.
In honor of their son’s memory and with a determination to effect change, Manuel and Patricia Oliver have embarked on a nationwide tour called “Guac’s Magical Tour.”
The gunman responsible for Joaquin’s death and the deaths of 16 others now faces a lifetime behind bars. However, after the Parkland massacre, there continues to be numerous shootings nationwide.
Manuel Oliver, Joaquin’s father, reflects on the devastating aftermath of the Parkland tragedy and subsequent shootings, highlighting the lack of political action to address the pervasive issue of gun violence.
“After Parkland, we learned our lesson, and then Santa Fe came, and they learned a lesson, and then many other shootings happened, and a lot of people who are not here learned a lesson, but the political inaction was still there,” said Manuel Oliver, father of Joaquin.
The Olivers will travel across the country, stopping in cities such as Santa Fe and Uvalde, Texas, to raise awareness about gun violence and advocate for stricter gun control measures.
Manuel Oliver expressed his desire for the entire nation to be outraged by the alarming prevalence of gun violence in a first-world country.
“Anyone that is questioning, but, what do you want? I want the whole country to be offended by what has happened here, a first-world country that thinks that this is normal,” he passionately stated.
Joining forces with other victims’ families from Uvalde and Santa Fe, the Olivers recently convened at the Capitol, where they collectively called for immediate action.
“This building pisses me off so damn much because the politicians in this building were more upset because I was louder than 85 decibels than the fact that our kids were murdered,” said a victim’s parent.
“School is starting. You all will be buying books, school clothes, backpacks, and are you ready to add a coffin,” said another victim’s parent.
The nationwide tour led by the Olivers aims to amplify the call for action against gun violence and ensure that the tragic loss of innocent lives is not forgotten.
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