MIAMI – Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is banding together with the mayors from across the nation for a common cause.
Their goal is to push for they call "Common Sense" gun laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals.
Gimenez was joined by the mayors of Pinecrest and South Miami at Friday's news conference, as well as members of the law enforcement community and police director J.D. Patterson.
The coalition is called "Mayors Against Illegal Guns," and is comprised of more than 1,000 mayors from around the country - 45 of them from Florida.
The coalition encourages background checks on all guns, including those sold at gun shows or from want ads, and pushes gun laws that will keep them out of the hands of criminals.
Also present were the families of victims of gun violence, including the father of Tequila Forshee, the 12-year-old girl who died as bullets were fired through her home in Miami Gardens last month. Glenn Forshee said he never imagined that his family would become an example of a shooting tragedy, but he is using his pain to help prevent future killings.
Gimenez also reminded the public about his youth safety roundtable. Recommendations from that will increase police presence at schools and enhance public awareness programs.