ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP/WBOC)- A gun control measure in Maryland drew large crowds of both supporters and opponents.
Gov. Martin O'Malley, who is pushing for the bill, spoke Friday in front of the Maryland State House to supporters of tighter gun laws.
Ina Schonberg, who was at the rally, said she attended Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Conn., years ago but now lives in Maryland. She believes O'Malley's bill will limit gun violence.
"There is too much of this kind of violence going on, but another reason I am here is because I am from Newtown and I went to Sandy Hook school and the tragedy there has really affected me," Schonberg said.
Eddie Weingart of Silver Spring said he has experienced gun violence firsthand.
"Personally for me I lost my mother when I was 2-and-a-half-years-old," he said. "She was gunned down in front of me by her ex-husband. She lost her life. The gun was then turned on me, but fortunately it malfunctioned."
Across the street, opponents filled an office building for the House of Delegates, where the bill was getting a hearing a day after the Senate approved it.
Doug Bigelow, of Hagerstown, said he came to Annapolis to speak out for his Second Amendment rights. He says he lives in a rural area and wants to be able to defend himself if necessary.
Marshall Hammond, of Easton, said he was in Annapolis to support the right to bear arms. He wants the state's existing gun laws to stay as they are and said any bill that bans assault weapons, limits magazine clips and adds a fingerprint requirement infringes on his constitutional rights.
"If I have a registered weapon and want to participate in a high-power match or something, my right shouldn't be jeopardized," Hammond said.
Editor's note: WBOC's Steven Fisher contributed to this story.
WBOC Chopper 16 aerial view of a gun control rally held Friday morning in Annapolis.
