Assault weapons like AR-15s have appeared at the scenes of our country's deadliest mass shootings. They are designed to kill and cause bodily harm to as many people as possible in a matter of seconds.
Researchers who looked at mass shootings where four or more people were shot and killed found that, between 2016 and 2025, four times as many people were shot if the shooter used at least one assault weapon or high-capacity magazine than if they used neither.
But we know policy can make a difference. When the federal assault weapons ban was in place between 1994 and 2004, it was effective in preventing public mass shootings and reducing the number of fatalities and injuries when these tragedies occurred. Had it remained in effect between 2005 and 2022, research shows we could have prevented 38 mass shootings.
These lifesaving laws are now facing a challenge in the Supreme Court.
The Court has agreed to hear Viramontes v. Cook County, a Second Amendment challenge to bans on assault weapons in Connecticut and Cook County, Illinois. It will hear arguments on December 2, 2026.
If the Supreme Court rules against Cook County and Connecticut, its decision will apply nationwide, which could mean the end of bans that are currently the law in ten other states and DC — laws that ban weapons designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. That is why we have to make as much noise as possible before it does.
In light of the upcoming Supreme Court case, we're asking you to stand with state and local assault weapon bans. Show your support by adding your name today.