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Shooting Victim's Father Blames Tragedy on Failure to Act After Newtown Massacre

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The grieving father of a college student at the University of California, Santa Barbara who was killed last Friday in a mass shooting said his child died because lawmakers failed to respond to the deadly school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. 

An emotional Richard Martinez told CNN that he blamed the tragedy on lax gun laws, and the lack of progress in strengthening America’s mental health system. 

"My kid died because nobody responded to what occurred at Sandy Hook," Martinez said. "Those parents lost little kids." His son, Chris Martinez, was 20 years old when he was gunned down at a deli, one of three victims shot. 

"Those parents lost little kids," Martinez told CNN. "It's bad enough I lost my 20-year-old. I had 20 years with my son! That's all I'll ever have. Those people lost their little six and seven-year-olds. How do you think they feel? And who's talking to them now? Who's doing anything for them now?"

Speaking to CBS, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said that he hoped last weekend’s tragedy would provide an impetus to bring back measures that were defeated after the 2012 massacre that killed 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School. 

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a longtime reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition and Here And Now. Diane spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

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