Parkland shooting survivor: 'We need more mayors like Peduto'

A high school shooting survivor praised Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on Friday for his gun reform efforts during a Washington, D.C., panel aimed at reducing gun violence.

The panel, “City Initiatives to Reduce Gun Violence,” saw Peduto seated next to 18-year-old anti-gun violence activist David Hogg. Hogg rose to national prominence after a gunman killed 14 of his classmates and three teachers at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., last year.

“We need more mayors like Peduto,” Hogg said during his panel remarks. “We need every one of you to stand up. Because, I guarantee you, they can go after one of us, they can go after a few of us, but they cannot go after every single mayor within the United States.”

Legislation recently introduced to Pittsburgh City Council and championed by the mayor would ban certain semi-automatic rifles, some ammunition and some firearms accessories within city limits. A third bill would allow courts to temporarily remove guns from a person deemed to be a threat.

The Friday panel discussion was part of the winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Peduto also was slated to speak during a panel on “Responding to the Growing Incidence of Hate Crimes.”

On Thursday, Peduto met with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Parkland Mayor Christine Hunschofsky.

Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, mguza@tribweb.com or via Twitter @meganguzaTrib.