Group formed after Highland Park, IL shooting organizes march in Washington for assault rifle ban

WASHINGTON (WLS) -- A massive march in the nation's capital Thursday was by March Fourth, a local group formed after the Highland Park Fourth of July shooting.

The march rallied those from the Chicago area and around the country and more than a dozen other communities with a single goal of banning assault weapons.

They're people from all walks of life, many of them parents, who are bonded by similar tragic circumstances -- gun violence.

"As a mom, the fact that I cannot ensure my kids' safety is something that I cannot live with," said Ivy Domont, outreach coordinator with March Fourth. "Communities from Columbine, Buffalo, Parkland, Sandy Hook, Vegas, Orlando, Dayton, Ohio, Oxford, Michigan. The list goes on."

Domont was born and raised in Highland Park, and survived the July Fourth shooting.

She's now having unbelievable conversations with her children.

"I never dreamt that my 2.5-year-old would say that she has already been a survivor of a mass shooting," she said.

Thursday's march will rally together passionate groups of people from Chicagoland and more than a dozen other communities affected by gun violence across the country with a shared goal of banning assault rifles.

"We know now that firearm-related injury is the leading cause of death in this country," said Dr. Sheena McKenzie, medical outreach with March Fourth.

Dr. McKenzie, a pediatrician, said this is an issue that needs to be treated with tough legislation.

"We're calling it more than an epidemic, we are calling it a public health crisis," McKenzie said.

This isn't the first time March Fourth has pushed for an assault weapons ban in the nation's capital.

They were there in July, as well.

"This is preventable," McKenzie said. "We know that an assault weapons ban works when it was done from '94 to '04."

"Let's do this again and protect our children from dying," Domont added.

March Fourth recently released a provocative Public Service Announcement, promoting the march on Washington.

As Domont and McKenzie make their voices heard, they believe the senseless killings can be prevented.

"This is what a majority of Americans want, and our voices will be louder and will be heard," Domont said.

A ban of this nature was passed by the U.S. House at the end of July, and now this deeply motivated group is urging the Senate to do the same.

"We are the voters," Domont said. "We are the reason why these people are in office and they will hear that this list will not end, mass shootings will not end until they stand up and be on the right side of history."

They shared this message to the next generation, including their own children:

"Mommy is going to Washington to talk to these politicians to make sure and demand that you are safe and everyone around us is safe."

SEE MORE: Hundreds travel from Chicago to DC for assault weapons march organized by March Fourth

The bill would make it unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer or possess a semi-automatic weapon. One of the organizers said there is no reason everyday people need weapons like these.

"It's a simple call to action to federally ban assault weapons. Those weapons of war have no business being in civilian hands. We'd like for there to be an end to the list of mass shootings and to ban the weapons once and for all at the federal level," Aubrey McCarthy said.

Sixty senators are needed to vote in favor of the bill in order for it to pass.

The bill made it through the House on tight margins, with 217 voting in favor and 213 voting against.

President Joe Biden has also praised House Democrats for passing the measure, and is urging the Senate to do the same.