People to Link Arms Around Statehouse in Protest of Gun Violence

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – People who want lawmakers to pass laws to help stop gun violence plan to link arms around the South Carolina Statehouse.
The Hands Around the Statehouse Rally will start with speeches at 11 a.m. Thursday and end with supporters linking arms around the capitol building at noon.
Survivors of gun violence will join lawmakers as well as religious and community leaders to ask the General Assembly to pass bills that they say will help the state stop gun violence.
Several lawmakers backed a bill that would have dealt with a loophole that allowed the man charged with killing nine in last June’s shooting at a Charleston church to buy a gun even though he was awaiting trial on a felony drug charge. That bill has not been giving a hearing.