TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I AM A 16 YEAR OLD GIRL WITH A SMALL VOICE. HOWEVER, I WILL NOT REST UNTIL MY VOICE IS HEARD. EVERY YEAR MORE THAN 24,000 AMERICANS ARE KILLED AS A RESULT OF HANDGUN VIOLENCE, IN HOMICIDES, SUICIDES, AND ACCIDENTS. ACCORDING TO THE GUN CONTROL STATISTICS OF 1993, PROVIDED BY THE PEACE EDUCATION CENTER, LOCATED IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN, THAT IS 65 PEOPLE EVERY DAY, 12 OF THOSE 65 PEOPLE ARE TEENAGERS MY AGE. THAT WAS 6 YEARS AGO, CAN YOU IMAGINE THE STATISTICS NOW?
ON AUGUST 30, 1998, NOT EVEN TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE WAS TO BE MARRIED, MY COUSIN ADAM SCOTT MARTINEZ, WAS SHOT AND KILLED. IT STARTED AS A SMALL GROUP OF FRIENDS, HANGING OUT, PLAYING CARDS. IT ENDED IN GUNFIRE, LEAVING MY COUSIN IN THE LAP OF HIS FRIEND CLINGING TO LIFE. ONLY HOURS LATER WE LEARNED THAT ADAM COULD NOT HOLD ON ANY LONGER. HE LEFT BEHIND MANY GRIEVING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. AS A RESULT OF GUNS, MY COUSINS LIFE ENDED TRAGICALLY AND ABRUPTLY, AT THE AGE OF ONLY 21. HIS KILLER, A 17 YEAR OLD MALE, HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER. MY COUSIN WAS KILLED IN COLD BLOOD AT POINT BLANK RANGE.
AS CITIZENS OF THIS SO CALLED WONDERFUL PLACE, AMERICA, WE CANNOT STAND BY AND ALLOW THIS CHAOS TO GO ON ANY LONGER. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE LAND OF FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY, BUT BECAUSE OF GUNS, MY COUSIN NO LONGER HAS ANY OPPORTUNITIES. HIS LIFE WAS STOLEN FROM HIM. HE WILL NEVER SEE HIS BROTHER'S FIRST BORN, AND BECAUSE OF GUNS HE WILL NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE MARRIAGE, FATHERHOOD, OR GROWING OLD.
IF I, AS A 16 YEAR OLD CHILD, CAN SEE THIS WHY CAN'T YOU, THE MANY CITIZENS WITH THE POWER TO CHANGE AND SPEAK OUT ON THE LAWS? JOIN WITH ME IN THE FIGHT TO OUTLAW THEM AND THE FIGHT FOR STRICTER PENALTIES.
SINCERELY,

CARRIE L. HARTMAN

Since I wrote the enclosed letter, the boy who murdered my cousin, has struck again. December 1998 he shot an older male as a result of a drug deal gone bad. The male he shot, is alive, but is now paralyzed for life. The boy recently turned 18, and was being held at the Carroll County Detention Center, Carroll County, Maryland. It has been brought to our attention that this same boy has been released back into society due to the paralyzed man not pressing charges due to fear. A trial date for Adams murder is set for April 1999..............when will he strike again?