Families affected by domestic violence are helping pass bills that keep guns from domestic abusers. Here’s Madeleine’s story:
“My daughter, Nicolette ‘Nikki’ Elias, did everything she could legally do to protect herself and her two young daughters from her abusive ex-husband — including obtaining a restraining order against him. Despite these efforts, my beautiful Nikki was brutally gunned down by her ex-husband while their two daughters were there, who were just 7 and 8 years old at the time. He then drove my little granddaughters to his house and turned the gun on himself. In an instant, our lives were forever shattered by an abuser with a gun.
Since Nikki’s death, I’ve become a passionate advocate for sensible gun laws to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. In 2015, I testified in favor of a bill in Oregon to close a loophole in our state gun law that allowed people with dangerous histories to buy guns from unlicensed sellers without a criminal background check. Later that year, the bill passed and is now the law.
Join me and the millions of Americans dedicated to ending gun violence against women. Text JOIN to 64433.”
- Madeleine Garcelon








