The father of one of Elliot Rodger's victims spoke out Saturday against gun violence and more stringent gun controls.
Richard Martinez, filled with emotion, read the statement less than a day after his son, Christopher Michael-Martinez was killed in Isla Vista, California.
On May 23, Rodger shot the 20-year-old to death at the IV Deli after killing Delta Delta Delta sorority sisters Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronika Weiss, 19, and stabbing three men to death in his apartment: Cheng Yuan Hong, 20, George Chen, 19, and Weihan Wang, 20.
After running over bicyclists and pedestrians with his car and engaging in shoot-outs with Santa Barbara police, Rodger, 22, shot himself in the head inside his vehicle.
Three 9mm handguns were found inside Rodger's BMW: two loaded Sig-Sauer P226 semi-automatic guns, and one loaded Glock 34 long-side. Rodger also had 34 loaded ten-round magazines for the Sig-Sauer, and seven loaded ten-round magazines for the Glock. Five empty Sig-Sauer mags were also recovered.
All of the weapons were purchased legally and registered by Rodger.
Martinez, speaking on behalf of his family, urged Americans to end their ambivalence towards gun violence.
"Our son, Christopher Martinez, and six others are dead... You don't think it will happen to your child until it does," he told reporters.
He also identified exactly who he blamed for his son's death.
"Why did Chris die? Chris died because of craven, irresponsible politicians and the NRA. They talk about gun rights. What about Chris's right to live? When will this insanity stop?" he asked, growing increasingly angry.
"When will people say, 'Stop this madness! We don't have to live like this!' Too many have died! We should say to ourselves, 'Not one more!'"
Michaels-Martinez was an English major at the University of California at Santa Barbara. His father told reporters that his son planned to travel to London in 2015, and attend law school after graduation. He also said that the family is "lost and broken" over his untimely death.
"Chris was a really great kid," Martinez said. "Ask anyone who knew him."
