- 2012 – 2017 founder Guns Across America
About Eric Reed
Eric Reed is a Texas-based airline pilot who became a grassroots organizer in the weeks after the December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook shooting, when renewed federal proposals to ban so-called assault weapons and standard-capacity magazines prompted him to act. Working with unpaid volunteer organizers, he launched a national rally effort, reported in the press as Guns Across America, which became the organizational base for what this profile lists as Gun Rights Across America.
On January 19, 2013, the group held simultaneous rallies at “high noon” local time, mostly at state capitols, with events planned in 49 states; Alaska was the only state without an organizer. More than 18,000 people had confirmed attendance on the group’s national Facebook page the day before, and Reed himself planned to attend the rally in Austin. The events were among the largest coordinated pro-gun demonstrations of that period and showed how social media could quickly mobilize gun owners nationwide. Reed framed the effort as a call for gun owners to stand together, and it ran alongside, but separate from, the “Gun Appreciation Day” events held the same weekend.
Key Facts
- December 14, 2012: Sandy Hook shooting and renewed federal gun control push prompt Reed to organize
- January 19, 2013: Coordinated rallies at state capitols in 49 states
- January 18, 2013: More than 18,000 confirmed attendees on the group’s Facebook page
- 2012-2017: Founder and leader of the group, per this profile
Sources
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