Politics & Government

Son of One Man Killed by Andrew Engeldinger Continues Push for Gun Law Reform

Sami Rahamim, the son of slain Accent Signage owner, calls on Minnesota members of the U.S. House to support legislation.

Sami Rahamim never thought his father,Reuven Rahamim, would be one of the 33 Americans killed by a gun each day.

Sami Rahamim's father was killed when Richfield native Andrew Engeldinger open fired on his former co-workers at Accent Signage on Sept. 27, 2012. Five others were killed before Engeldinger turned the gun on himself, taking his own life.

In a recent Star Tribune column, Sami Rahamim continued his mission to urge legislators to reform gun laws and require background checks on all gun purchases. He wrote:

"The void left by the loss of my father will never be filled. Nobody can bring him back. But we can take action to prevent other families from experiencing the horror mine has endured.

"Under current federal law, background checks are only required for guns sold by federally licensed dealers. The millions of private sales that take place every year at gun shows, over the Internet, and elsewhere are not accompanied by any check at all. According to a recent national survey, as many as 40 percent of guns change hands privately with no questions asked."

The column was written as the "No More Names: National Drive to Reduce Gun Violence" rolled through town last week. The event was organized by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a bipartisan coalition of more than 1,000 mayors and 1.5 million grassroots supporters nationwide.

In his column, Sami Rahamim said Minnesota was lucky to have U.S. Senators that supported the failed federal gun reform bill earlier this year. And now, with corresponding House legislation, Rahamim called on Minnesota U.S. House members to follow the example of Reps. Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum and Rick Nolan, and support legislation:

"It’s time for their House colleagues from Minnesota — Reps. Erik Paulsen, John Kline, Collin Peterson, Tim Walz, and 
Michele Bachmann — to follow suit. ...

"It’s time to honor the memory of my father — and the thousands of gun violence victims every year — by demanding action from Congress before we lose even more loved ones.

"Let’s not wait until the next tragedy."

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