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Muskegon County students ask Congressman for town hall on gun control

The students hope to get the Congressman's attention by releasing a four-minute video on social media Tuesday afternoon.

MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. - Some high school students in Muskegon County are calling on state and federal lawmakers to change gun laws. Over the last month they participated in a national student walkout, community march, and are now challenging Congressman Bill Huizenga to hold a town hall event on gun control in Muskegon County at one of their schools.

The students hope to get the Congressman's attention by releasing a four-minute video on social media Tuesday afternoon.

Town hall events have the potential to fill large spaces with voters. The last town hall U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga, a Republican from Zeeland, held in Muskegon was last August.

Elijah Nichols a senior at Reeths-Puffer and Stella Branch a senior at North Muskegon hope Huizenga will hold another town hall to specifically answer questions from voters on gun control and school safety.

"I'd appreciate it if Congressman Huizenga held a town hall at my school or a surrounding school about gun violence and what he's doing to protect people in our schools and in our greater community," said Nichols.

"It's a way for him to be connected to our community and especially our students," Branch added.

Nichols says last month he sent an e-mail to Huizenga that included a list of questions about gun control. According to Nichols, Huizenga, or someone in his office, responded but failed to answer any of the questions included in the e-mail. That lead Nichols to produce the video he plans to make public on Tuesday.

Nichols and Branch say students and voters in Muskegon County need to know more about where Huizenga stands on gun-control efforts.

"I'd hope he would feel the need to pass or help pass more sensible gun legislation," said Branch.

"It affects our schools and it affects our communities," Nichols added. "We feel we have the answers or at least part of the answers."

The video challenging Congressman Bill Huizenga to host a town hall will be released following an event starting at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon at North Muskegon high school's flex center.

Monday, a member of Huizenga's staff told 13 On Your Side Congressman Huizenga is engaging with students, educators, administrators and local law enforcement to get their input on how to best keep West Michigan safe.

Huizenga met with Kenowa Hills educators, Kent ISD Administrators and local law enforcement in Walker in March.

On Monday, Huizenga was in Newaygo County talking with students and school administrators. Some of those discussions related to school safety.

The representative from Huizenga's office could not say if the Congressman would be scheduling a town hall on gun control at anytime in the near future.

The Youth Activism Coalition also announced that a student march would be taking place on Saturday, April 21. The march will be starting at 11 a.m. at Muskegon High School. The students are saying that their voices need to be heard in an effort to prevent another shooting.

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