PHILADELPHIA, July 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The following statement was issued today by U.S. Conference of Mayors President Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter after today’s mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado:

“Once again our nation’s attention is riveted on a single act of violence that has claimed a dozen lives and left dozens more injured.

“The nation’s mayors express their shock at a mass shooting and send their condolences to the victims, their families, and their community.  Our friend and colleague Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan is in our thoughts and prayers this morning as he helps his city cope with this tragedy.

“While we don’t yet have all of the facts in the case, we do know that all evidence this morning points to a heavily armed assailant now in police custody.   While questions about his motives and about how he obtained his weapons will be answered in the hours and days ahead, the fact remains that once again guns have been used in a mass killing of innocent people.

“The U.S. Conference of Mayors is repeating its call for reasonable changes in our gun laws and regulations that could help to prevent senseless tragedies such as the one that has rocked Aurora and the nation this morning.”

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,295 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.